Cathedral Cares
"Christ has no body now but yours; no hands, no feet on earth but yours; yours are the eyes with which he looks compassion on this world." –St. Teresa of Ávila
About Cathedral Cares
Cathedral Cares is our hub for bringing compassion to our neighbors and those most in need. Working with our network of partners, we offer several opportunities throughout the year for the Cathedral community to come together to deliver God’s love to a hurting world.
We invite you to open your heart and extend your hands in service. As we say every Sunday, “Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice to God.”
Get Involved
Season of Giving 2025
The Cathedral community is joining our partners once again to support families in the local community who need a helping hand to enjoy this Thanksgiving and Christmas season.
How to Help
Our goal is to ensure that 1,000 area families can enjoy a Thanksgiving meal, and hundreds of area youth will have a special Christmas gift. You can help by purchasing food and assembling Thanksgiving baskets (Nov. 9-23), purchasing Christmas gifts such as toys and gift cards for youth (Nov. 9-Dec. 9), or by donating directly.
Click the Guide to Giving menu items below for details on what to purchase and how to volunteer, or skip down the page to donate directly to Cathedral Cares.
Thank you to our 2025 Season of Giving Partners
Bishop John T. Walker School for Boys • Cathedral Scholars • Community of Hope • Covenant Baptist/UCC Church • Episcopal Church of the Atonement • First Baptist Church (Randolph) • Friendship Place • Metropolitan Police Department • The Washington School for Girls
Guide to Giving
Ready to help? Learn more below about what to purchase and when and where at the Cathedral to deliver items.
Please purchase the complete list of food below and assemble it at home, with all items placed in a flat-bottom, reusable shopping bag.
- Cut Green Beans—(2), 14.5 oz. cans
- Whole Kernel Corn—(2), 15.25 oz. cans
- Cranberry Sauce (Whole or Jellied)—(2), 14 oz. cans
- Instant Stuffing Mix (Turkey)—(2), 6 oz. boxes
- Macaroni & Cheese—(2), 7.25 oz. boxes
- Candied Yams/Sweet Potatoes—(2), 16 oz. cans OR (1), 32 oz. to 40 oz. can
- Instant Mashed Potatoes—(2), 6 oz. boxes OR (1), 13.3 oz. box OR (4), 4 oz. packages
- Gravy (Turkey)—(2), 10 oz. cans OR (3), 0.87 oz. packets. (PLEASE!—No glass jars)
- Cake Mix—(1), 13.25 to 15.25 oz. box
- Frosting (Icing)—(1), 16 oz. can
Please deliver your assembled food shopping bags to the Cathedral on the dates and locations indicated below. All food is delivered to our community partners by Tuesday, November 25.
Sunday, November 9
- Drop in back of nave at Ministry Table until from 9 am-1 pm
- Drop at Cathedral Library (off South Road) from 9 am-12 pm
Sunday, November 16
- Drop in back of nave at Ministry Table until from 10:30 am-1 pm
- Drop at Cathedral Library (off South Road) from 9 am-12 pm
Friday, November 21
- Drop at Cathedral Library (off South Road) from 11 am-1 pm
Saturday, November 22
- Drop at Cathedral Library (off South Road) from 11 am-1 pm
Sunday, November 23
- Drop in back of nave at Ministry Table until from 10:30 am-1 pm
- Drop at Cathedral Library (off South Road) from 9 am-12 pm
Our partners request both actual gifts for young children, as well as gift cards that young adults and parents will use to select gifts.
If you wish to donate a specific gift—such as educational toys, books, games, sports item, or a gift card for a specific community partner—visit the Giving Tree located in the back of the nave and:
- Select a gift tag for a boy or girl, age pre-kindergarten through grade 5
- Select a gift tag for a gift card to assist a high school Cathedral Scholar in this holiday season, or a gift card to help a Community of Hope family
All gifts must be new and unwrapped. Gift cards should also be unwrapped and indicate the dollar amount. Please attach the gift tag to your gift to ensure that it is delivered to the specific partner.
Please deliver your unwrapped gift or gift card to the Cathedral no later than December 9. All items must be delivered to our community partners by December 11.
Sunday Eucharist Drop-Offs
Gifts can be dropped off in the back of the nave at Sunday Holy Eucharist between 10:30 am and 1 pm on:
- Sunday, Nov. 9 (available starting at 9:30)
- Sunday, Nov 16
- Sunday, Nov 23
- Sunday, Nov 30
- Sunday, Dec 7
Cathedral Library Drop-Offs
Gifts can be dropped off at the Cathedral Library (off South Road) during the following times:
- Tuesday, Dec 2: 9:30 am-12 pm
- Wednesday, Dec 3: 10:30am-1:30 pm
- Monday, Dec 8: 9:30 am-12 pm
- Tuesday, Dec 9: 10:30 am-1:30 pm
Volunteers are needed to assist in collecting, assembling and distributing Thanksgiving meals. Opportunities include helping receive drop-offs on Sundays in November at the Cathedral, and helping assemble baskets with donated funds on Saturday, November 22 at Covenant Baptist UCC.
If you are interested in helping make a blessed Thanksgiving for families in our partner organizations, please sign up using the Volunteer Form.
Should you have questions about volunteering, please see Rob Strassburger or Bill Collins on Sundays, or email the Congregation team.
The Cathedral segregates and tracks all funds gifted for a specific purpose for that restricted purpose. They are spent and released in accordance with the lower of the amount budgeted in the associated annual operation or capital budgets, or actual expenses incurred for the restricted purpose.