It’s no secret that the St. Elizabeth of the Trinity Food Pantry continues to be generously supported by parishioners plus other good people.
Likewise, it’s no secret that the ongoing impetus is Jesus’s call to action:
I was hungry and you gave me to eat
Yet not everyone knows the full story about this special ministry.
The Food Panty, which is managed by a volunteer team of approximately eight dedicated parishioners, is located in the lower level of the school gym and is open on Tuesdays from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
The patrons who come to the pantry are not asked to prove financial need and there are no geographical restrictions imposed. The Food Pantry serves about 22 to 40 families each week.
Just prior to opening, a drawing is held to determine in what order patrons will go through the pantry and select approximately 12 food items. In other words, they are not given a pre-selected, one-size-fits all assortment.
This means patrons can customize their choices to fit their household.
Beyond the staples, the Food Pantry offers, on an alternating-week schedule, milk or eggs. Also, the Panera Bread “Dough-Nation” program regularly delivers baked goods.
And when in season, fresh produce is supplied by community gardens and individual home gardeners, adding an extra dimension to the offerings.
However, the St. Elizabeth of the Trinity Food Pantry provides something far more momentous than the tangibles of cans of beans, boxes of cereal, and rolls of toilet paper. The Food Pantry volunteers exude genuine Christian joy in their service.
On behalf of the parish community, they interact with patrons and treat them with the dignity they deserve as children of God and as neighbors.
The tone is set by volunteers who welcome patrons with a friendly greeting, and during the wintery months invite them to visit in a community room area prior to their food shopping.
There are Spanish and Polish speaking volunteers on the team who help provide a comfortable experience. The caring service attitude is confirmed in details such as regular checking for expired dates on food items.
Behind the scenes, volunteer “shoppers” scour websites and sales papers in the hunt for bargains to stretch funds donated for stocking the pantry. These shoppers discuss pricing data with the same intensity as a couple of Chicago Bears’ fans analyzing player stats on a Monday morning.
The Food Pantry has benefited from the support of food drives from the St. Elizabeth of the Trinity parish school, the Women’s Group, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the Kolping Center, the Boy Scouts, and other local parishes and schools.
Sincere thanks go to parishioners who generously support this ministry by dropping off food items in the church vestibule or the shed outside the gym — as well as placing monetary donations (marked “Food Pantry”) in the Sunday collection basket.
And, if you would like to volunteer, please contact the Rectory for more information.
“Parishioners Corner” is a dedicated space for parishioners. All are invited to share their thoughts about the parish merger and building the new reality of SEOTT. In addition,
we invite parishioner thoughts about a journey of faith, a moment of grace, a prayer intention, or a reflection on the readings.
Email your thoughts (anonymously if you wish) to the Rectory office.