Mission Statement
Our mission is To build bridges of understanding, appreciation, and love among cultures, faith traditions, social statuses, and with God, fostering wholeness and holiness, thus bringing healing to people's hearts and peace to their relationships.
Curious about our program?
Oasis partners with college students and many generous donors in order to provide services for the Pinewoods Community and beyond. Through the Oasis Tutoring program, people within the Pinewoods Community gain the resources they need to provide for their families, while college students receive an opportunity to gain cultural awareness, applicable teaching experience, and other valuable skills.
We hope you decide to become a member of our team.
History of Oasis
Oasis Católico Santa Rafaela was founded by the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, an international order of Sisters, in September 2002. Since then, the Sisters have been serving the families of the community with the help of many volunteers, various partnerships, and generous donors.
The Sisters (namely, Sister Uyen-Chi Dang, ACJ, Sister Angela Cordero, ACJ and Sister Margarita Martin, ACJ) provide much-needed ministries to the people of the Pinewood Estates North community and surroundings.
The mission of the Oasis Católico is to be a place where English and Spanish speaking cultures can connect and enrich one another, and most importantly, Oasis strives to heal hearts. Nestled among the trailers of Pinewood Estates North, Oasis is a haven of calm amidst the confusion faced by many of the community residents.
To read more about the Handmaids, visit their website at: http://www.acjusa.org
Oasis Services
Oasis provides after-school tutoring for about 100 children from Pre-K to 5th grade Monday through Thursday from 2:30 pm to 5:00 pm during both the fall and spring semesters. Tutors are asked to commit to coming one day per week for the duration of the semester.
Oasis also provides many other services primarily for the Latino community in Pinewoods, and the center provides a safe haven for individuals and families of the community.
Oasis also offers:
Distribution of food, clothing, kitchenware, and other gently used items
Distribution of diapers provided by Athens Area Diaper Bank and generous donors
Community Building Programs
Special Celebrations and Fiestas
Monthly Mass celebration (when priest is available)
Weekly Holy Hour of Adoration
All these services and more are part of Oasis' goal to heal people's hearts. We hope to build community and solidarity, celebrate life, and promote the physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of Pinewoods residents and beyond.