Mission:
The mission of Santa Maria Urban Ministry is to feed the body, mind, and spirit of the individuals in our community by providing them with food and other basic services, educational programs for all ages, and opportunities to give back through volunteer service.

ECA Support:
The Episcopal Church in Almaden (ECA) has long supported SMUM by financing the construction of the building and contributing monthly financial support of the operations of this important ministry. In addition, regular fundraising occurs, and donation items are collected to fill in needed gaps on a monthly basis. Many of ECA’s parishioners have also helped with tutoring of elementary schoolers to the delight of both tutor and student. We are very active partners and enjoy working with and growing with each other.

If you would like to support SMUM please donate now or volunteer. Thank you!

Mission:
Our mission is to enrich the lives of people affected by Alzheimer’s Disease and related conditions by providing interactive, safe, nurturing, intergenerational services and support.
Founded in 1984, Hearts & Minds Activity Center is the first large-capacity dementia-specific adult day program in the country. Since its inception, Hearts & Minds has provided services to over 6,000 individuals living with dementia and their families.

ECA Support:
Many of our parishioners volunteer and donate money and time to this wonderful organization. We look forward to partnering together even more in the future.

If you would like to volunteer and get involved or donate to this important cause, please visit their website for more information.

Mission:
The South Sudan Youth Opportunity Ministry has been active for many years. This is an active sponsoring ministry in which parishioners from The Episcopal Church in Almaden (ECA) and St. Stephen’s in the Field (SSITF) sponsor students in Kenyan Refugee camps. Many of the children were orphaned or lost family members, when they had to flee to Kenya from South Sudan during violent unrest. Initially, there were over 20 students, but as they have been graduating. We now support the remaining 10 located in the largest refugee camp in Kenya.

ECA Support:
Our sponsors provide financial assistance, encouragement, and support. We regularly receive receipts, term grades, pictures, and wonderful letters of gratitude and appreciation from the students. We are grateful for the sponsors’ commitment, kindness, and generosity in helping provide opportunities for these children; it has been greatly appreciated! Having the chance to earn a high school graduation certificate within a refugee camp is rare, so we are grateful we can help. The education of the youth of South Sudan offers one of the few positive pathways forward into hope for the future of South Sudan.

If you are interested in getting involved as a sponsor, click on the link below.

Mission:
AAi unites Jews, Christians, and Muslims to serve the poor, building bridges of understanding and respect in a context of compassion.

ECA Support:
ECA has partnered with AAi to learn more about our Muslim and Jewish neighbors. We have worked closely with each other to learn about each other’s faiths and work on various service events together, such as cooking meals together for those that are food insecure, and preparing over 100 hygiene kits for distribution to the homeless. This is a rewarding ministry to better understand one another, to support and unite each other, and to work together to serve those in need.

AAi is now hosting four to five compassion events each month to serve our unhoused neighbors in need—from food distributions, home builds, and farm box packing to hygiene kit assembly, blood drives, and bicycle repairs. Register to volunteer at one of AAi’s coming compassion events today!