Service Day 2026
Service Day is an opportunity for our parish at large to gather and go out throughout Chicagoland to our various Saint Clement partner organizations to help them complete some of their most needed projects. The impact of our collective work resonates deeply within the communities we served and embodies Jesus’ mission of love and compassion. In 2026, we will have both a Spring Service Day and a Fall Service Day. We hope you join us to see the profound difference we can make when we come together in service to others! Questions about Service Day? Please contact Christa Kingsley.
Save the dates for our 2026 events:
Spring Service Day: April 25, 2026 — recap below!
Fall Service Day: September 19, 2026
RECAP OF SPRING 2026 SERVICE DAY
Thank You for Putting Faith in Action Across Chicagoland!
A heartfelt thank you to those who dedicated their time and effort to make our Spring Service Day 2026 an overwhelming success! With close to 400 individuals registering to contribute their energy and passion across 25 locations throughout Chicagoland, our parish showed up in a powerful way—living out the message printed on our shirts: Love Shows Up. The impact of your collective work resonates deeply within the communities we served. Thank you also to all who contributed to our Kitchenware Drive for the Chicago Furniture Bank—we filled the CFB truck with essential items!
From packing food items for donation to food insecure neighbors across Chicagoland, to packing manna packs to be shipped to another country, to picking up trash at North Avenue Beach, to visiting with refugee families while delivering household care packs, to planting gardens for our neighbors at H.O.M.E., from beautifying the gardens surrounding schools in Pilsen and Irving Park, to crafting cards for residents of Hope Manor, to replacing invasive species with native plants in our Laudato Si' Garden, and much more, each project was an expression of who we are as a parish: a community rooted in faith that leads with purpose and serves with compassion.
Special thanks to our incredible planning committee—Luis Alejo, John DeFranco, Dani Jachino, Loraine Leung, Joe Quinn, Sarah Beltz, Meg Rux, Lulu Vega, and Casey Welby—for months of thoughtful preparation. We also extend our gratitude to Christa Kingsley, our dedicated staff, Father Radley and Father Peter for supporting and championing this beloved tradition.
We give thanks for all who continue to live out Jesus’ mission of love and compassion through concrete acts of service. Your faith in action makes a real difference in the lives of others and strengthens our parish community. Thank you for being shining examples of selflessness and kindness, and for reminding us that together, we can be a powerful force for good.
May God bless you for all you do!
We welcome any feedback from you on ways to improve this experience -- email Christa Kinglsey.
Scroll below for testimonials and photos from our event.
Save the date for our Fall Service Day!
Please mark your calendars for September 19, 2026 when we bring back Fall Service Day.
Service Day Impact: Stories, Numbers & Gratitude
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As we served throughout Chicagoland as the hands of Christ, much of our Spring Service Day impact was rooted in compassion, relationship, and acts of care. While not all of it can be measured, some experiences offer a glimpse into the tangible difference you made:
Feed My Starving Children
During this packing session, 192 volunteers—including 40 from Saint Clement—packed 52,705 meals into 244 boxes. That means 144 children will be fed for an entire year because of this effort!Greater Chicago Food Directory
During this sorting and packing session, 65 volunteers—including 48 from Saint Clement—packed 7,092 pounds of bread, enough to serve 7,092 households!
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Hello MSV Saint Clement Service Day Team,
Thank you so much for spending your Saturday with us. Truly, you were absolute rockstars, and there are no notes. We are incredibly grateful for the time, energy, and care you brought to the day.
Marillac St. Vincent’s funding is designated to support very specific program areas; because of this, special projects like Gwen’s Garden, the space you transformed on Saturday, rely on the generosity and involvement of individuals like yourselves. We cannot thank you enough for stepping in to clean the garden and prep the beds. Your willingness to jump in made a meaningful and lasting difference and directly supports our ability to bring the space to life. Additionally, thank you to those who tackled and tilled the area near the baby garden and the main playground. Our operations team currently has projects happening across all four buildings at once, and volunteer efforts that support their work and help maintain our outdoor spaces are deeply appreciated.
Looking ahead, the garden will be utilized by both the Community Connections and Youth Development departments and maintained by a combination of stakeholders including volunteers. Community Connections will integrate the garden into their Community Education programming, with a focus on health and wellness, creating opportunities for learning that connect nutrition, cooking, and access to fresh produce. Youth Development will also utilize the garden as a space for youth to relax, have fun, and build community. Our hope is that the garden can once again be a place for shared experiences, similar to how the space was used in the past when Gwen’s Garden was created through the care and vision of both previous and current MSV staff.
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The Saint Clement group at Heidi's House on Saturday was incredibly engaged and thoughtful, and the pack deliveries created some meaningful moments of connection! Thank you for all of your coordination and work to make this day possible. I'm sure organizations/communities across the whole city were very blessed by your efforts.
- Isaya Otsuka, Church Relations Specialist Exodus Worldwide Chicago
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H.O.M.E. (Housing Opportunities and Maintenance for the Elderly) posted on their Facebook page some photos and this note:
This National Volunteer Month, we are so grateful for all our volunteers, including our friends at Saint Clement Chicago, who came out this weekend to spruce up the grounds and balconies of our Nathalie Salmon House.
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We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the volunteers from Saint Clement Church for their service and support during their visit to SPARC on April 25th. Their willingness to give their time and energy made a meaningful impact on our space and the guests we serve each day. The volunteers assisted with organizing donations, supporting building upkeep, preparing clothing bundles for guests, and helping with additional site needs. Their teamwork, compassion, and dedication were greatly appreciated by both staff and guests. Partnerships like this help us continue creating a welcoming and supportive environment for individuals experiencing homelessness. We are truly thankful for Saint Clement Church’s continued support. Thank you again for choosing to serve alongside us.
More photos from 2026 Spring Service Day!
