OUTREACH

At St. Andrew’s, our call to follow Jesus extends beyond our doors. Through compassion, generosity, service, and partnership, our Outreach Commission seeks to respond to the needs of our neighbors, both close to home and beyond.

Our outreach takes many forms: addressing hunger and homelessness, supporting children and families, expanding access to education, accompanying people affected by incarceration, responding to disasters and communities in need, and supporting ministries of the wider Episcopal Church. At the heart of all of this is a belief that outreach is about more than simply giving. It is about building relationships, walking alongside others, recognizing the dignity of every person, and responding together to God’s call to love and serve our neighbors.

Outreach Initiatives

Loaves & Fishes

Founded in the basement of St. Andrew’s in 1983, Loaves & Fishes has grown into a vital resource now based in Devens, providing food and temporary support services to neighbors in Ayer and surrounding towns. St. Andrew’s continues to support the pantry through weekly food donations, seasonal drives for toiletries and school supplies, and efforts like “Row (or a Pot) for the Hungry,” where parishioners grow fresh produce for those in need. It’s a long-standing partnership rooted in compassion, dignity, and community care.

Stone Soup Kitchen

Stone Soup Kitchen brings people together to provide meals, fellowship, and hospitality to those in need. Rooted in the belief that a community can accomplish more when everyone contributes what they can, Stone Soup Kitchen helps address hunger while creating a welcoming place where neighbors can share a meal and connect with one another.

Habitat for Humanity of North Central Massachusetts

St. Andrews has had the opportunity to support the construction of a two-family Habitat home locally in Ayer where a group of parishioners volunteered at the site.

Ecclesia Ministries: Common Cathedral & CityReach

Ecclesia Ministries: Common Cathedral & CityReach serves people experiencing homelessness in Boston by building community, providing spiritual care, and creating connections between housed and unhoused people. Through common cathedral’s outdoor worship on Boston Common and CityReach’s immersive service and learning program, Ecclesia Ministries offers opportunities for worship, relationship, hospitality, and a deeper understanding of homelessness.

THRIVE Communities

THRIVE Communities supports people returning to their communities after incarceration by building relationships, providing reentry support, and creating opportunities for connection and leadership. Through a restorative approach, THRIVE works to break cycles of incarceration and isolation while building stronger, more welcoming communities where everyone is valued.

Episcopal Relief & Development

Episcopal Relief & Development is the global relief and development agency of The Episcopal Church, working with local partners around the world to address poverty, injustice, disasters, and climate change. Its programs support disaster response and recovery, early childhood development, women and girls, and climate resilience, helping communities build lasting change rooted in dignity and hope.

Partakers & the Tufts University Prison Initiative

Partakers & the Tufts University Prison Initiative work together to expand access to higher education for people who are incarcerated in Massachusetts. Through the Tufts University Prison Initiative of Tisch College (TUPIT), students have opportunities to pursue college-level education, while Partakers provides teams of volunteer mentors who offer academic encouragement, friendship, and ongoing support. Together, these programs use education and relationships to bridge the divide between people inside and outside the prison system and create opportunities for successful reentry and lasting change.