F.I.A.T.

 Bishop Stang High School uses F.I.A.T. as an acronym for Faith In Action Together.  Mary’s fiat said “yes” to bringing Christ into the world.  Our fiat is our “yes” to bringing Christ into the world. 

Christian Service F.I.A.T. Program: Faith In Action Together

All students are required to participate in at least one F.I.A.T. activity each year. The word "fiat" refers to Mary’s answer to the angel Gabriel when she said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me as you have said." We use F.I.A.T. as an acronym for Faith In Action Together. Mary’s fiat was her "yes" to bringing Christ into the world; our fiat is our "yes" to bringing Christ into the world.

Each F.I.A.T. service project includes an educational, service, and reflective component—all of which are essential to the program and required. Students will be provided with a list of possible service opportunities, or they may find their own service opportunity and obtain approval from Mrs. Dias or Mrs. Tarantelli. Once the service activity is completed, students submit a Google Form to document their service and write a reflection essay.

Requirement guidelines by grade level:

  • Freshmen & Sophomores: Must participate in at least one service activity, with no set hourly minimum requirement.
  • Juniors & Seniors: Must complete at least 10 hours of service for their F.I.A.T. credit.

The completion of a F.I.A.T. activity with all three components for all four years is a graduation requirement.

Below are some of our community partners where students frequently complete hours, though students may also serve at organizations not listed here.

My Brother’s Keeper: Dedicated to bringing “The love and hope of Jesus Christ to those they serve”, volunteers at My Brother’s Keeper deliver furniture and food to local families in need. Students must volunteer three times at any point throughout the year. Students must complete a reflection with Mrs. Dias during the month they complete their service.  

Sharing the Harvest Community Farm:  Spend time outside volunteering at the Sharing the Harvest Community Farm in Dartmouth. Sharing the Harvest is a volunteer-driven community farm established in 2006 as a grassroots effort to fight hunger and help feed our neighbors in need. All produce and cage-free eggs are donated to 20 local hunger relief programs throughout the Southcoast region.Sharing the Harvest Community Farm is a collaboration between the Dartmouth YMCA and the United Way of Greater New Bedford’s Hunger Commission.

Walt's Mobile Closet serves the South Coast with a free mobile shopping event providing clothing and other goods. They partner with agencies and organizations who assist those in our communities that are in need. There will be various volunteering opportunities throughout the year to assist this organization.

Damien's Food Pantry: Our mission is to help end hunger in the South Coast region of Massachusetts. We welcome people of every age, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, handicap, marital status, sexual orientation, or any status, including the homeless, without discrimination.We collaborate with other organizations that share t he mission to address food insecurity in our community.

United Way of Greater New Bedford: We mobilize people, partnerships, & resources to create change in the communities we serve.

Gifts To Give: Typically completed in March (dates TBD), this project will involve the solicitation of lightly used children’s books, clothing, toys, etc. from friends and family and assisting the agency to process those gifts for distribution to needy children. Please be advised that Gifts to Give is requiring all volunteers to have been vaccinated for COVID-19. (Mrs. Habershaw)

Heart Walk Book Drive: This project will involve gathering and selling books to benefit the Flynn/Silva Heart Walk Team.

Fort Taber: We are a not-for-profit organization committed to assisting in the restoration, preservation and perpetuation of Fort Rodman and its surroundings.

Buttonwood Park Zoo, owned and operated by the City of New Bedford and supported in its endeavors by the Buttonwood Park Zoological Society, features a variety of animals native to Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, and South America.

Buttonwood Park Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and has been called “one of the finest small zoos in the United States” by that organization.

Missions For Humanity: This is a consciousness-raising project involving a variety of ways to support people living in some of the poorest communities of Honduras and Tanzania. The service component to this FIAT is TBD. 

Walk for Multiple Sclerosis: A consciousness-raising project held on a Sunday in April involving the planning, participation, and securing of pledges to support the Multiple Sclerosis Society. Students will walk in support of the team “Patty’s Pals”.

Audible Local Leger (ALL): Do you love to read and help people? ALL is a reading program that broadcasts a radio network to provide reading to the blind and those with low vision. From reading periodicals, newspapers, short stories, shopping guides, the radio, community calendars, and other material only available in print, the ALL ultimately “turns print into sound”. Where do you come in? You can offer your time to read and record to help ALL reach the blind and low vision community! This is a great opportunity for Juniors and Seniors looking for a community service that does not require travel. Students must complete 3 readings to fulfill their FIAT requirement.