Corpus Christi food drive collects 15,000 pounds of food, $33K in donations

PATERSON  On the feast of Corpus Christi, June 3, the Diocese kicked off its food drive to benefit the food pantries of Catholic Charities in Passaic, Morris, and Sussex counties to ensure that those with food insecurity did not go hungry.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, the food drive was held virtually using YouGiveGoods and it concluded on Aug. 3.

From pasta to cereal and vegetables to tuna, parishioners from across the Diocese provided 15,000 pounds of food. Some of the other items collected included peanut butter, rice, soups, coffee and more, totaling 14,892 items. In addition, $33,000 in dona­tions through this year’s virtual drive was collected, which will be used entirely for food and other groceries at diocesan Catholic Charities three food pantries.

Msgr. Herbert Tillyer, president of diocesan Catholic Charities board of directors, reflected on the recent Gospel readings read at Masses known as the Bread of Life Discourse and the generosity of those who donated to the food drive. “Jesus never stops giving us Holy Communion and we should never stop feeding those most hungry,” he said. “In the Diocese, especially these last two summers with the pandemic, we continue to feed those most in need. When we make these gifts of food, really in a sense we are affirming our belief in the Bread of Life, affirming our commitment to the Holy Eucharist.”

Since 2014, the Corpus Christi Food Drive has been held to alleviate the food shortage problem that occurred during the summer months at the food pantries of Catholic Charities. Fewer donations would usually be received at the pantries, which rely on parishes, schools, individuals, and community groups to help stock the shelves. In addition to fewer food donations coming in during the summer, children, who are off from school for vacation, do not receive their regular meal at school. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the food pantries and emergency services of Catholic Charities have seen record numbers of people seeking assistance. Prior to COVID-19, Catholic Charities gave out food to 5,000 to 7,000 people at their three food pantries each month. Now, each month, Catholic Charities helps more than 20,000 children, women, and men who are struggling with food insecurity.

Carlos Roldan, director of food pantries for Catholic Charities, said, “We really appreciate all the support we get from our donors. We, at Catholic Charities, are simply the bridge between our generous donors to our brothers and sisters in need. If it wasn’t for our donors, we couldn’t do what we do.”

Catholic Charities operates three food pantries throughout the Paterson Diocese — in Passaic County, the Father English Food Pantry in Paterson; in Morris County, the Hope House Food Pantry in Dover; and in Sussex County, the Partnership for Social Services Food Pantry in Franklin.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney reached out to all parishes in the Diocese of Paterson to participate in the food drive. In a letter to pastors calling for participation, the Bishop wrote, “Catholic Charities here in our Diocese and around the United States continues to be ‘the hands of Christ’ in a world in need of greater compassion and service. COVID-19 has impacted us all, especially those who are living in poverty.”

Catholic Charities hopes to return to its in-person Corpus Christi Food Drive next year. Different from other collections in which parishioners are given a list of suggested food items needed, each parish would be designated to collect one or two specific food items for the Corpus Christi collection. The reason for this was to assure Catholic Charities has sufficient quantities of each item. Some examples include a collection of canned meats and fish at some parishes while other parishes collect boxes of pasta.

“This year, we again went virtual through the YouGiveGoods platform,” said Christopher Brancato, director of development for Catholic Charities. “We would like to thank the diocesan faithful who gave nearly 15,000 pounds of food through the platform plus an additional $33,000 in monetary donations which will be restricted to purchase food. Next year we hope to return to in-person drives again and are grateful to all who gave.”

“We thank everyone who gave a gift in any way,” said Msgr. Tillyer. “To those who serve with us at Catholic Charities, we thank them for the work they are doing again this year and every year. The most important thing is that we must always continue to do this. Jesus will always want us to feed the people because he always feeds us.”