Parishioners and community members in the Brunswick area are being asked to pitch in to help local residents stay warm through the cold winter months.

Warm Thy Neighbor will be held on Saturday, Jan. 30, and Sunday, Jan. 31, at St. Charles Borromeo Church (132 McKeen St. in Brunswick) and St. John the Baptist Church (39 Pleasant St. in Brunswick).

The special collection will be held in the churches’ narthexes and through the mail to help those in need of assistance in paying their heating bills.

“The response at our parish to past collections for this cause has been wonderful,” said Fr. Thomas Murphy, pastor of All Saints, in a news release. “People are truly generous with helping people in need during the deepest part of the winter. It’s truly following the message and spirit of Jesus.”

Those looking to participate can do so in two ways:

• If attending a Mass at one of the churches this weekend, monetary donations can be left in the special, marked collection baskets as you leave the church. Cash or checks are fine, but checks should be made out to All Saints Parish with “Warm Thy Neighbor” in the subject line. Masses will be celebrated at St. John the Baptist on Saturday at 4 p.m. and at St. Charles Borromeo on Sunday at 11 a.m. The deadline for making a reservation at one of the Masses is Thursday at 4:30 p.m. To reserve a spot, call (207) 725-2624.
• If you are not able to attend Mass in person, please send a check to All Saints Parish, 144 Lincoln St., Bath, ME 04530. Make your checks out to All Saints Parish with “Warm Thy Neighbor” in the subject line.

Donations will be forwarded to Tedford Housing where the delivery of fuel to those in need is organized. Tedford Housing, formerly Tedford Shelter, was founded by the Brunswick Area Interfaith Council to provide emergency shelter for the area’s homeless adults in 1987. At the core of all of Tedford Housing’s programs and services is case management, ensuring every client they serve has access to all of the health, human, and community services needed to address the challenges that created their housing emergency. Tedford has become a resource center for homeless and at-risk neighbors, much more than a shelter with emergency beds.