Holy Name of Camden Ministries

Holy Name of Camden Ministries, a 501(c)3 provides financial support to the following ministries through fundraising programs.

 

Education Ministry

The education program at Holy Name School includes an elementary school, K through 8, and a high school tuition assistance program. The education program is designed to provide children in the community with the opportunity to achieve success through a commitment to education. Our theme is based on the concept, “Holy Name, more than an education, it is a child’s future.” Current enrollment is 173 students. The   annual tuition of $1,800 is extremely difficult for most families in the community. Scholarships and financial assistance are required by almost all of the students.

Our program is generating significant outcomes.

• Holy Name elementary school ranks first in standardized tests among other Catholic schools in the city.
• We currently have 29 graduates attending Catholic high schools in the area.
• This year three of our alumni are graduating from college and 12 of our graduates are attending four-year colleges.

Health Care Ministry

Founded in 1983 by Rev. Mark Aita, S.J., M.D., St. Luke’s Catholic Medical Services is a private, primary care physician practice providing medical and healthcare services for the poor, uninsured and underinsured in a Catholic Christian setting. St. Luke’s is a unique healthcare ministry partnering the Catholic Diocese of Camden with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey– School of Osteopathic Medicine.

With a staff that includes Lesly D’Ambola, D.O., medical director and a board certified osteopathic internal medicine physician, a board certified family nurse practitioner, office manager, two medical assistants, a scheduling coordinator, and a Jesuit volunteer. St. Luke’s is committed to providing quality, compassionate, medical and healthcare services to our patients on a twenty-four hour basis in addressing the medical, psychosocial, and spiritual needs of our patients in North Camden and other Camden neighborhoods.

St. Luke’s serves this predominantly Hispanic community through office visits, home visits, nursing home visits, health education and prevention programs. However, clinical services are available to all persons who choose to receive medical care from St. Luke’s regardless of geographic locale or ability to pay. In 2010 St. Luke’s had approximately 6,000 patient visits (this includes inpatient hospital services).

St. Luke’s has also functioned as a unique site of medical education of osteopathic medical students and internal medicine residents through its affiliation with UMDNJ; and of service learning/community service placement of students from St. Joseph’s University and University of the Sciences.

Legal Ministry

Camden Center for Law and Social Justice (CCLSJ),founded in 1985 by Fr. David Brooks, SJ, operates offices in North Camden, Camden and Atlantic City, serving more than 4,500 cases a year. CCLSJ specializes in two areas of law, immigration law and family law. The agency handles all immigration cases for the Camden diocese and is the designated pro bono legal service for family law in Camden County. CCLSJ is the leading provider of legal assistance to victims of domestic violence in all of South Jersey. CCLSJ has four lawyers and two paralegals among its staff of 7 people, headed by Jeffrey DeCristofaro, Esq., Executive Director.

Social Services Ministry

Guadalupe Family Services (GFS), founded in 1995, is headed by Sister Helen Cole SSJ., MSW, and is staffed by two licensed social workers, a Community Outreach Worker, and an administrative assistant. GFS conducts counseling programs for individuals and families, companioning programs for families of homicide victims, a drug prevention program at Holy Name School, ESL classes, mentoring for Camden youth, and a summer camp operated in conjunction with Saint Joseph’s University.

 

Holy Name of Camden Ministries will provide about $130,000 in financial support to the four ministries this fiscal year with two-thirds going to our education programs. The need is increasingly greater and we reach out to the community at large for support in these critical areas.