Many parishes have programs to provide food and other items for needy families at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Thanksgiving is coming up this week and Christmas is next month.
May I suggest that those readers who would be able to participate in such programs do so, either by volunteering their time or by purchasing items for distribution to the needy?
I’m occasionally asked by folks if they can make donations to support the blog. I am very grateful for such offers, though to this point I have not gone in that direction.
May I suggest that if you find the blog valuable and if you are able that you consider helping the less fortunate in some way this holiday season? I would appreciate it, and I know that those in need of help would as well.
Thanks, God bless, and (early) Merry Christmas, y’all!
Thank you for making the wonderful suggestion! It fits well with ths Gospel for November 20. (When I was hungry…)
What a great idea!
Hye! Great idea! I run a foodbank for my Church. Maybe I should set up a donation link.
Great idea, Jimmy.
Note that the need is particularly urgent. Hurriciane Katrina drew so much support that it drew support away even from the earthquake victims in Afghanistan.
Covenant House is suffering not only because they had to evacuate because of the hurriciane, but because the donations went elsewhere.
May I suggest that people who make donations to food collections donate food that can really make a difference to a poor family? A can of stringbeans isn’t very filling, but a can of beef stew or chili or ravioli is. Tuna fish, salmon, or canned ham or chicken makes a meal better than peas do. Peanut butter’s great. Grocery store gift cards are especially helpful.
If you are feeling especially generous, how about a gift certificate for take-out pizza? Pizza is the food rich families eat when they have a crazy day, when they’re busy and exhausted. The poor have a lot of crazy days.
BTW, Catholic Relief Services is taking money for the earthquake victims.
It’s been a hard year. Aid is especially needed.
And when you are getting food for the food bank, perhaps you should ask what they have trouble getting.
A local food bank told my mother that:
they get lots of pasta, but a lot less pasta sauce.
lots of canned vegs, but a lot less canned fruits.
lots of peanut butter but a lot less jelly.
Also, a lot of trouble to get both breakfast cereal and things in small portions, so that the elderly who can’t eat a lot at one sitting don’t eat part and have to let the rest go to waste.
There’s local variation of course. If the foodbank is close to a spagetti sauce factory, they may have plenty. But they’re probably hard up for something.
Mary’s correct.
Cereal is harder to get, and it isn’t very desirable if you don’t also offer milk. (Nonfat dry or evaporated is fine.) Fruit is hard to get, but veggies can also be a problem. Bread has to be restocked constantly. That’s more of a logistical than a supply problem.
There are also times of year that are more difficult than others. October and early November are pretty thin until Thanksgiving. Donations also seem to drop off during spring.
Don’t forget cash. Even though the central foodbanks get their food for free, they have to pay people to work in the warehouses, so there’s usually a handling fee (at least around here there is).
Thirty years ago when I went through a broke spell (shorter than a “poor” spell but equally unpleasant) what really used to bother me was not having enough money for soap, shampoo and toothpaste. You buy food but you can’t wash you hair, your feel grubby. So those are the items I always toss into the holiday collection baskets.
I’ve been in the St. Vincent de Paul Society in our parish for about 6 years now, and every year we do dinner distributions to the needy of the parish on the Saturday before Thanksgiving and the Saturday before Christmas. We actually start doing work for this in late September (setting dates, collecting names, etc.).
So now would be a good time to ask your local SVDP conference if they need help for Christmas (Thanksgiving is probably already taken care of). If you don’t know where your nearest SVDP group is, the national office has a web site (http://www.svdpusa.org/) that may help find it. The greatest needs of most conferences, in order, are: people and money.
This past Saturday our group distributed meals to over 100 families in our parish. The conference 2 miles up the road distributed a similar number. The conference in the next town over also picked up over 100 dinners right after I was at the warehouse. So the need is great.
Of course, St. Vincent de Paul conferences are typically active 52 weeks per year. Founded by a college student who was one of the foremost apologists for the faith in his day, the Society expanded to several other countries (Russia, Italy, Ireland and the U.S.) by the time he died at the age of 40. The Society continues to be one of the best ways for lay Catholics to work with fellow believers in doing the works of mercy that this past Sunday’s Gospel dramatically presented as so necessary a part of our walk with the Lord.
And I certainly endorse the many good ideas above.