Solidarity, the Call to Family and Community, and Options for the Poor and Vulnerable are three of the seven Catholic Social Teaching Themes, and St. Francis of Assisi’s twice-a-year food drives reflect our commitment to addressing them. In April and November, we collect food to help stock the pantry at Our Lady of the Rosary (OLR) parish in Louisburg, where 1 in every 3 people lives in poverty. In addition to non-perishable food, we also collect toiletries, diapers, and other baby items. The pantry is a critical resource for many families in Louisburg, some of whom may have no other way to put food on the table every day.
The OLR Food Drive Ministry, coordinated by Matt Burns and Odile Fredericks, works with the OLR community to fulfill our responsibility to provide for the common good and to live the values of our faith. Having enough food is a basic human right, and our community has a responsibility to provide for those in need as best we can. Volunteers hand out grocery bags with lists of needed items after each Mass one weekend and staff a truck in the church parking lot before and after each Mass the following weekend to collect donations, including cash and checks. Matt and Odile say the connections they make with ministry members and parishioners bring the entire parish closer together.
“The St. Francis community’s generosity is overwhelming,” they say. “During the April food drive, we collected more than 6,000 pounds of food and supplies, plus about $4,000 in cash and checks for Our Lady of the Rosary to purchase needed items. It is extremely heartwarming to see a steady stream of people carrying full grocery bags to the truck before and after Mass, from elderly people who have difficulty carrying the bags to young parents toting their children in their arms while laden with food. The generosity of parishioners is something beautiful to behold.” They find it just as gratifying to watch the team of volunteers working together, accepting the donations with a smile and a “thank you,” and working inside the truck, which can often be hot, to sort the items in various collection bins.
With the November food drive approaching, Matt and Odile encourage everyone to assist with this vital ministry: “Getting involved is as easy as signing up on St. Francis Serves. We still have several slots open for grocery bag distribution (November 7/8th) and donation collections (November 14/15th). It’s a great activity for families to volunteer together, and students can earn volunteer hours if they need them for school.” If you have questions, contact Matt (mjburns@bellsouth.net) or Odile (odilefredericks@bellsouth.net) for more information. You can make a difference in the lives of your neighbors in need with your donations during the November Food Drive!