PATERSON These days when Carlos Roldan, director of the food pantries of diocesan Catholic Charities, heads to work and drives past the Father English Center on Main Street here, there are 35 to 45 people in line waiting for food. By 9 a.m., when the doors open up, that line has grown to 150 people. At the days end, 1,000 bags of food will have been given to people in need. This has been the new normal for the Father English Center and the other food pantries operated in the Diocese by Catholic Charities during the pandemic.
For the past six years, the faithful of the Paterson Diocese have participated in a profound way to feed the poor through a special food drive, which takes place every year on the Feast of Corpus Christi, the liturgical solemnity celebrating the Body of Christ’s Real Presence in the Eucharist. This year the feast takes places on Sunday, June 14.
The seventh annual Feast of Corpus Christi Diocesan Food Drive will continue to take place throughout the Diocese during the pandemic and it is even more critical during this unprecedented time in history to bring food aid to those reaching out to food pantries at Catholic Charities. Because of social distancing restrictions still in place, the food drive to support the food pantries will take place virtually through YouGiveGoods from now until July 31. The goal is to collect 10,000 items.
The food donated through the food drive will help the thousands of clients in all three counties of the Diocese seeking help, including children and seniors (See related story on Catholic Charities and seniors, on page 5).
Bishop Serratelli, apostolic administrator of the Diocese, said, “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.”
The need for diocesan Catholic Charities’ services has increased tremendously during the pandemic. Most months, diocesan Catholic Charities gives out food to 5,000 to 7,000 people at its three food pantries — the Father English Center in Paterson, Hope House in Dover and the Partnership for Social Services in Franklin. During the month of April, this number practically doubled, with more than 13,000 individuals, who are feeling the direct economic impact of COVID-19.
With the current crisis, Roldan said, “Before the pandemic this was a regular part of our program to give food out to clients — people needing assistance who after paying their bills simply needed food. Now, this is a real emergency that we have not experienced before. The people are very scared and they have nothing. We keep on delivering food and the phone calls keep coming.”
The food pantries are providing three main outreaches to the needy. The first outreach is to those who come to the door. Those people will get three bags of food — one with vegetables, one with grocery staples such as pasta and one with meats or frozen food. The second outreach are deliveries to seniors living in low-income housing. A band of staff members and volunteers are delivering these groceries to seniors, who are unable to leave their homes. The third outreach is to the homeless — those who are living on the street or those housed in hotels. They receive groceries that do not need cooking, such as tuna fish and peanut butter.
This diocesan food drive is unique since the Corpus Christi Drive asks parishioners and friends to donate one or two specific food and household items that are assigned to his or her parish. This assures that Catholic Charities has sufficient quantities of each item.
“For this one year, to keep all parishioners safe and to follow state and local guidelines,” the Bishop said, “I am asking that you support this vital endeavor virtually.”
The virtual food drive will continue in a similar vein this year with specific items designated to a parish along with “food box” options offering a variety of grocery items. Through the YouGiveGoods website, parishioners simply look for their parish and click “shop.” All goods ordered online will be shipped directly to the three Diocesan food pantries.
Bishop Serratelli initiated the Corpus Christi Food Drive in 2014 to assist the food pantries of Catholic Charities for the summer months when food donations drop dramatically and food pantries’ shelves empty quickly while the need for food is as great as any other time of the year.
“We are really hoping that people respond to this. We are hopeful we will get what we need and I am praying to God we get the food we need,” Roldan said. “It was always a time of great need but now, this is really the time if there was ever a time for anyone to give.”
Parishioners can also make a monetary donation online to diocesan Catholic Charities, which will be used to purchase food at www.ccpaterson.org/corona.
While parishioners are encouraged to give virtually, individuals who are actively shopping and may want to work directly with the food pantries can contact Catholic Charities’ Development Office to make alternative arrangements directly with their food pantries ([email protected] or call (973) 737-2077 ext. 403).
“After this pandemic, I am hopeful the world will change. I have witnessed some clients still concerned about their neighbors and friends and asking if we can help them. The best of humanity has really been shown just by how compassionate everyone has been,” Roldan said.