RADA Cutlery

Virtual Fundraiser: The Belles of St. Mary’s, Pylesville, have joined forces with RADA cutlery to raise funds to help support our food pantry. Proceeds from your purchases will go directly to the pantry. We continue to see an increase in families needing help. The pantry is currently helping over 20 families with their food needs, and we need your help. 

Anna’s House

Anna’s House offers shelter and support to victims of domestic violence, providing them with a safe place to heal and rebuild their lives. The Belles support Anna’s House by fulfilling some of their needs on an ongoing basis. When women arrive at the shelter with few personal belongings, we provide donated new and gently used purses filled with toiletries, stationery, and other essential items. These contributions, all donated by the Belles, help these women feel cared for and supported during a difficult time. We do not request donations from the parish for this initiative, as the items are generously provided by our group members.

Annual Blanket Drive

Each October, the Belles organize a Blanket Drive to collect donations of blankets, men's jeans, socks, and sweatshirts for a local shelter in Edgewood that provides warmth and daytime relief to the poor and homeless. These items are given directly to those in need, and the Belles also make cash donations throughout the year, funded by proceeds from our various fundraising efforts. Your generosity helps provide comfort to people facing difficult circumstances, ensuring they have basic essentials to stay warm and safe.

The Giving Tree

The Giving Tree is a holiday initiative where the Belles partner with St. Mary’s Parish and the Outreach Ministry to provide Christmas gifts to children in need from local families. Each year, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, parishioners are invited to help make a child’s Christmas morning brighter. Early in November, the Outreach Ministry shares the names of children from local families and our sister parish, St. Edward's, who could use a little extra holiday cheer. The Belles then receive each child’s Christmas wish list and create gift tags, which are displayed on a Christmas tree in the church. Parishioners are encouraged to take a tag, purchase the requested gift, and return it with the tag by the designated deadline. Once all the gifts are collected, they are sorted, bagged, and prepared for pickup, along with a holiday grocery basket provided by the Outreach Committee. This program ensures that children in need within the community have a joyful Christmas morning.

School Supply Drive

In July and August, the Belles organize a School Supply Drive to help children in need within Northern Harford and Southern York counties start the school year with the supplies they need to succeed. The parish is invited to contribute school supplies, and the Belles also purchase additional materials to supplement the donations. These supplies are distributed to local children who might not otherwise be able to afford them. By working together as a parish community, we help ensure that these children have the tools they need for a successful school year.

Operation Christmas Child

Each year, the Belles join with William Watters United Methodist Church in Jarrettsville to support Operation Christmas Child, an international initiative by Samaritan’s Purse that brings joy and hope to children around the world. In late September, shoeboxes are distributed to parishioners who wish to participate. Each box is filled with small toys, games, school supplies, and personal care items for a child in need. The filled boxes are returned to the church during the first week of November and are then sent to Samaritan’s Purse, along with Christian literature, to be distributed to children both in the U.S. and worldwide. For more information or to get involved, contact Sue Pardo at 410-456-7882.