Every Sunday, tamales and tacos and sweets of every kind summon the parishioners of Our Lady Star of the Sea to the parish hall. It’s a time and place for the community to gather and share the happenings of the week. This weekly fellowship also serves another purpose. Nearly 20% of the annual parish budget is collected during these gatherings. The hall kitchen itself is unable to contribute to the effort because it is in dire need of repair.

“There is great potential to grow our parish ministry and bring our kitchen up to code,” said Fr. Hector Basañez, pastor. “We are trying to raise $80,000 for a kitchen remodel that would allow us to fundraise on Sundays and provide hot meals during the week.” Anyone who has ever remodeled a kitchen understands the challenges Fr. Hector and his parishioners are facing, not to mention the financial burden on this small but vibrant community.

To help Fr. Hector build his kitchen, please click here:

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High school graduation is a time of excitement and optimistic anticipation for the learning to come on a college campus. For the graduating seniors from the Mayfair neighborhood of East San Jose, the financial burden means that only 2 percent of them will be able to receive that college education. Gladys, a former resident of Mayfair and participant in one of the Amigos de Guadalupe programs is a junior today at Sonoma State. She, like many of the students in East San Jose has the resiliency to succeed; she just needed access to education.

With the help of the Amigos de Guadalupe scholarship program, children like Gladys gain access to the kind of education they desire and deserve. With your help, Amigos students have attended the University of Chicago, UC Berkeley, St. Mary’s College, and other great universities.

To support students like Gladys through the Amigos de Guadalupe literacy and scholarship programs, please click here:

To learn more about Amigos de Guadalupe scholarship program, please click here.