Uncle Pete Ministries

Uncle Pete Ministries

Donation instructions are found at the bottom of this webpage. Thank you.

Mission:

To serve the less fortunate, creating awareness and hope for those in need.
To unite people who have means to those who do not. This will be accomplished through: sack dinners, collecting can food, school supplies, warm clothing, warm socks, etc. Nurturing parishes and organizations to engage in repetitive small giving to create the habit of giving, caring for others, and forming relationships.
To unite the ideas of faith and volunteerism to help care for the less fortunate; so as to move people more toward Christ.

Pete Zonsius, Uncle to Sister Judith Zonsius, OSB

Through his many trips to the Westside of Chicago, Uncle Pete, as he was known to all, realized that more and more people were homeless, in shelters, or living on less than adequate wages to support their families.

He felt, “it is hard to see people so much in need, and not respond”. He knew if he could help mobilize various groups of volunteers, that each could do something to contribute, even in a small way.

Uncle Pete organized his St. John Brebeuf community in Niles to make sack dinners once per month for eight months of the year. He built relationships with people, mainly from the west side and Uptown areas of Chicago and planned how to get them a sack dinner.

He knew that he wasn’t solving the problem of hunger but rather alleviating some of the challenges of getting thru the day for those who are less fortunate. He began to ask other organizations and parishes to join in.

Today, we have over 10 Churches, over 15 groups including sports teams, scouts, guilds and youth groups, 12 public and private schools, individuals hosting sack making parties, as well as businesses, all making sacks.

In 2023, we collected and delivered over 35,000 sacks.

Where are the Sack Lunches delivered?

In addition to families in need across Chicago’s West Side and Uptown, we serve:

Food Pantries and Soup Kitchens

Our Lady of Angels, Marillac Center, St. Stanislaus Kostka, St. Sylvester, Mother Teresa Sisters of Charity and Cornerstone Community Center

Shelters and Housing Facilities

Franciscan Harrison Shelter, Grace House, St. Leonard’s House,Covenant House, the Franciscan Day Program

Women and Children

Deborah’s Place, House of the Good Shepherd, Marillac Project Hope

Senior Programs and other

Our Lady of Angels, Marillac Center

Organize a Sack Ministry in your school, church, or community

A sack dinner contains two sandwiches, two hard boiled eggs, small bottle of water, a piece of fruit, a bag of chips, a treat such as candy bar or cookies. But there is much more in a bag. There is a sense of caring, a sense of concern, a realization that in a small way anyone can reach out to those in need.

Making sack dinners is meant to be a ministry not an event. You might think of an event as a car wash to raise money. A ministry tries to focus on the why of the activity while doing it. These characteristics are

Building community. Those like you would invite others to participate.
Position the work to be done by acknowledging the presence of the Lord. This is usually done thru a short prayer, composed by one of you, recognizing what the work is and who is to benefit, asking God to bless the work and the recipients.
Get organized, assign responsibilities, and most important, be accountable for your personal contribution.
Lastly, when the work is finished, to remember the work has just begun. A member would give a short presentation on where the sacks are to be taken and help everyone to feel the dignity of the people you serve.
In addition, one of the characteristics of ministry is that it is done multiple times. Creating a habit of behavior, is the essence of our constant care for humankind. Thru repetition, we change who we are.

WHAT MAKES THIS APPEALING TO PARISHES, SCHOOLS, AND CHURCHES

The parish/church/school incurs no cost except the cost of bag
All ages of people can participate
Sacks get to people in need within 24 hours
The delivery is handled by Uncle Pete Ministries volunteers
Information on where the sacks are taken is shared within 24 hours
Any number of sacks will work- 50 to 1200

WHAT IS NEEDED

A point person needs to be identified to organize the sack event.

The first step is to decide on whether the sacks will be made as a group or made at home and brought to a destination, i.e a church, a school, etc. See consideration documents

Additional skills include learning or knowing the communication channels such as how to put things into a bulletin or newsletter, how to put info on YOUR website, how to use blast, etc. OR SOMEONE WHO KNOWS SOMEONE WHO DOES THESE THINGS.

Ability to recruit volunteers , 5-6, for passing out bags and collections

Sacks can be made together as a group in one location or they can be made at home and brought to a collection point.

When done as a group, the menu items need to be purchased and this needs to be funded. When done at home, each person/family buys the menu items for a few sacks which spreads the cost.

Details for leading a sack event ministry are in the documents linked below.

Consideration for Group Sack Events information.

Consideration for Church Group Sack Events information.

Consideration for School Group Sack Events information.

About Us-Uncle Pete Ministries General Information.

Contact

For more information regarding Uncle Pete Ministries, including organizing a Ministry Event, please contact Carolyn Murphy by emailing her here.

Donate

To make an online donation, please click the yellow donate button for the PayPal Donation Account for the Benedictine Sisters of Chicago. Please indicate in the "Add a note" dialogue line or on the "Add special instructions to the seller" dialogue line, that your donation is for Uncle Pete Ministries. Thank you for your gift!

If you prefer to mail a check, please print and use this form.

Please also indicate in the "For" memo line, Uncle Pete Ministries.