Catholic Social Services Unveils Random Works of Mercy Program

Driven by their mission of performing Works of Mercy in response to the call of God, Catholic Social Services (CSS) of Southern Nebraska (cssisus.org) recently introduced a Random Works of Mercy program to reach out to more of those in need in the Lincoln area. In response to some requests from clients, CSS launched the program with an aim to shelter the homeless and care for the poor in a more personal way.

Through Random Works of Mercy, CSS is organizing volunteers to go out into the community in groups to perform minor living repairs, cleanup, and/or improvements for those in need. Katie Patrick, regional director of social services for CSS, says this new initiative lends itself to creating a culture of encounter rather than one of transaction. She said CSS anticipates many requests for repairs and other help from the elderly, the disabled, and single-parent households.

Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska is a nonprofit agency of the Catholic Dioceses of Lincoln and traces back to 1932. Their mission is to perform Works of Mercy in response to the call of God, including providing food, clothing, shelter, and counseling to those in need. If you are interested in volunteering time to serve others through the new Random Works of Mercy program—either as an individual or small group—contact Jeremy Sousek, volunteer coordinator, at jsousek@cssisus.org or (402) 327-6245. To request help with some lawn cleanup, painting, or similar work, please go to cssisus.org and fill out a Random Works of Mercy application.