Annual Mitten Tree at St. Luke’s for Kids in Need

The bare branch tree that becomes the annual mitten tree is taking shape at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke on State Street with donations of mittens, gloves and hats from members of the parish. The mittens will be gathered up on Christmas Eve and distributed to the Reiche and East End Community schools and St. Elizabeth's Day Care, for distribution to kids in need of warm mittens, gloves and hats. This 20 year ministry of the parish outreach committee has filled a need in the community that would otherwise be overlooked.

The parish outreach committee also regularly contributes supplies and manpower to St. Elizabeth’s Essential Pantry, which provides non-food items to people in need, provides staff for the St. Luke’s Soup Kitchen, and works with other local community groups to provide for those in need in greater Portland.

The parish is also working with Cultivating Communities, which organizes and teaches organic gardening to youths, who grow vegetables and sunflowers along the Franklin Arterial in Portland and at a local farm.