St. Anselm’s believes in living in community. As followers of Jesus’ example, we feel compelled to reach out beyond ourselves in service to our neighbors, those less fortunate, and the sacred life all around us."
Winter Nights Shelter
St. Anselm’s participates in a county-wide program to provide food and shelter to homeless families when the weather turns cold. Families are invited to stay at St. Anselm’s for two weeks, during which we proved home-cooked meals, a warm and comfortable place to sleep, and supportive activities for children. We are honored to be a place of respite for our neighbors, and are grateful that several families have been able to move into permanent living quarters.
For more information or to volunteer, please contact Anne Brown.
Harvest Festival (for Trinity Center)
St. Anselm’s Harvest Festival began as a way to celebrate and to raise funds to support various local charities. Beginning in 2014, as the homeless crisis grew, St. Anselm's refocused Harvest Festival into a dedicated fundraising effort meant to support the essential and effective work of the Trinity Center. All net proceeds go to support the work of Trinity Center, Walnut Creek, which provides food, shelter, and other resources to the homeless population in the area. The St. Anselm's community is proud of our long-term support for this humane outreach and eager to continue support the growing needs.
Click here to learn more about the history of the Harvest Festival. And click here to see the results of our amazing 2023 Harvest Festival!
Support for Other Organizations
Each year a sizeable portion of St. Anselm’s operating budget is set aside to help others in need. (The agencies and amounts are decided by the parish). Some of the charities to which we have donated in the past include:
Bay Area Crisis Nursery
Bay Area Crisis Nursery helps prevent child abuse and neglect by providing supportive services to families. The Nursery primarily provides a warm, loving, homelike environment to children birth through age 5. Services are free and confidential. Contra Costa & Solano Food Bank
The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano provides free food directly to the community through a variety of programs, including those targeting hunger at schools, colleges, and senior centers.
Mobility Matters
Provides mobility management services throughout Contra Costa County by matching riders to transportation providers that meet their individual needs. Mobility Matters operates volunteer driver programs that provide free, one-on-one, door-through-door rides for seniors and disabled veterans who cannot access other forms of transportation.
Loaves & Fishes
This family-run kitchen has provided hot and nutritious prepared meals to hungry families, children, seniors, veterans, students, and individuals with disabilities throughout Contra Costa for over 40 years.
Vestia Gifts
Provides Christmas gifts for the children of some of Contra Costa County’s neediest families. Parishioners buy gifts on an age-specific wish list provided by Vestia, who then distributes them to families.