Read Our Food Pantry Annual Report
- melodygee
- Apr 5
- 3 min read
March 2025
Dear friends,
We are pleased to share an Annual Impact Summary of the work at the food pantry sponsored by the St. Pius V St. Vincent de Paul Conference. This work is only possible through the support of our network of volunteers, financial supporters, churches, and businesses. Our gratitude is as boundless as your generosity.
Growing numbers of neighbors come in need of food, financial assistance, and a kind word. We are especially proud that the costs of purchased food have grown at a slower rate than the number of individuals served. We believe this is evidence of our good stewardship and the ability to attract volunteers to assist with the many tasks needed to prepare donated food for distribution.
The report largely includes numbers. It is important to remember that each number represents a real person with real needs. I am always distressed to see people lining up at the pantry door more than an hour before the doors open regardless of rain, snow, heat, or cold. I try to imagine what their lives are like to lead to that level of desperation. We do not know the specific needs of each family who receives food, but we are privileged to know about the lives of those who seek financial rent and utility assistance.
This past Tuesday, we spoke with James, who lost his job because he needs dialysis 3 times weekly. He has a potential job at a grocery store and has an amazing positive spirit.
We felt the pain and despair of Anna, who has lived in her truck for the past year. Since it was impounded 9 days ago, she has lived in a vacant building near St. Pius.
Jenna recently lost her job as a home health worker and has a Spire bill that tops $1,000.
Carolyn’s family is torn apart by the pain of losing a son to gun violence and struggling to pay funeral costs.
Mara is a refugee whose husband divorced her. He left her with a huge Spire bill and two months’ arrears in rent. She is trying to get her head above water as she cares for two children and earns only $1000 each month.
I am always humbled by the depth of need.
We listen, we strategize how to best use our limited resources to support families, and we try to assist them in applying for potential benefits. While it most often feels like too little, it is also hopeful to ease the burden of our neighbors in at least a small way. We can offer respect, dignity, and kindness to each person.
We know their well-being is inextricably tied up with ours, both physically and spiritually.
In her book of short stories, Cities I Have Never Lived In, Sara Majka describes one of her visits to a food pantry: I thought that those few people passing out food-with their hands in little plastic gloves and their cross behind them-should not be our major defense against this kind of poverty; as a defense it felt hopeful, frail and largely hidden.
I feel that Sara was at our pantry when she wrote those words. We are also called to grow our frail defenses against poverty by seeking large-scale policy solutions that promote justice. We ask you to join in that effort, as well as assist us in meeting the immediate needs of those who are most vulnerable in our community.
With gratitude,
Ruth Ehresman
President, St. Pius V St. Vincent de Paul Conference
