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Ziti for the Needy

- Social Ministries
  - Food and Shelter Assistance
    
    Appalachian Relief
    HOME
    Habitat for Humanity
    Houses of Hope
    Matthew 25 Ministry
    Samaritan Homeless Interim Program (SHIP)
  - Community Outreach Services
    
    Bakery Delivery Ministry
    Project Linus
    Saint Joseph Workers
    Saint Zita Minstry
    Ziti for the Needy
  - Charitable Endeavors
    
    Alternative Christmas Gift Giving
    Back to School Collection
    Food Collection
    Operation Saint Nick
    Penny Collection
  - Women/Family Support
    
    Mothers’ Retreat
    Pro-Life Outreach

Immaculate Conception Parish has long been a supporter of Somerville's Samaritan Homeless Interim Program. SHIP is a response to the increase in need in a variety of social concerns in our region. SHIP provides direct outreach and advocacy for the homeless, the working poor, and the often forgotten members of our community. SHIP has several programs that our Parish participates in and “Ziti for the Needy” is one that we would once again like to bring to fruition with your help.

Every March our Parish distributes aluminum trays, after all of the masses to those interested in preparing a casserole to serve those who are in need. Food is a gift often taken for granted, but, essential to life. Through your assistance you would be sustaining someone in need, in a myriad of ways. Parishioners simply take a pan home, prepare a casserole some time during the week and freeze the casserole. They return the casserole the following Sunday, before the mass they attend. There are individuals stationed at all of the entrances to collect the frozen casserole to deliver them to SHIP.

We ask parishioners to please place the cooked food in the aluminum tray provided; spray the top cover with Pam (or similar) so food does not stick, cover tightly and freeze. Unfrozen food cannot be accepted. Kindly label all trays with what you have prepared, Immaculate Conception Church and the date it was prepared. Know that in this giving, you nourish the body and the soul. For more information please contact the office at (908) 725-1112 x1126. Thank you in advance for this tremendous contribution. May you be blessed abundantly for your generous heart, a heart like Jesus!

The following recipe is for those who benefit from specific instructions; however, you are invited to create your own casserole or cook a family favorite. We encourage you to put your culinary skills to work and be creative! We are suggesting the following recipe because it contains much protein, in addition, most often people make pasta, and this will create a bit of variety and so good nutrition!

SHIP, the Samaritan Homeless Interim Program, began operations in 1984 in response to the unheeded cry of the many women, children and men who are in desperate need of emergency housing and associated services. SHIP is a faith based, interfaith and community funded, assisted and supported, grassroots organization. Our clients are the homeless, near-homeless, working poor families, and individuals in Somerset County Regions who are not able to obtain assistance from government or other private agencies, and are therefore denied an opportunity to receive the basic humane assistance they need and deserve. Clients coming to SHIP, in desperate need of help, include many that suffer from substance abuse dependency, HIV/AIDS, mental health issues, the homeless and near homeless working poor, hunger or isolation. We provide this unique population with critically needed emergency interim housing opportunities, interim counseling, and support services that greatly enhances their chances of regaining their self-sufficiency again. SHIP is dedicated to improving the quality of life for the poor.