Those across the Diocese of Camden heeded the call during the Lenten season to help feed their neighbors in need.
This year, the 10th annual FaithFULL Food Drive held at parishes, diocesan offices and the Diocesan Eucharistic Congress gathered more than 30,000 pounds of food. Parishes had the choice to keep donated items for their own ministries, or give to local food banks or Catholic Charities of South Jersey locations across the Diocese’s six counties.
“In ‘Fratelli Tutti,’ Pope Francis reminds us we all have the opportunity to express our innate sense of fraternity, to be Good Samaritans who bear the pain of other people’s troubles,” said Kevin Hickey, executive director of Catholic Charities of South Jersey. “The FaithFULL Food Drive is a great example of our diocesan community’s desire to lift up people in need.”
According to the 2020 U.S. Census, more than 155,000 people within the six counties of the Diocese of Camden are experiencing food insecurity.
The donations came at a perfect time, Catholic Charities staff said, with children set to be home from school for Holy Week and Easter.
“Times like these [are] when food shortages affect low-income families the most and they turn to our local pantries for assistance,” said Jose Sanchez, a program director with Catholic Charities of South Jersey, who led the logistics for this year’s annual food drive.
Saint John Neumann Parish in North Cape May collected 10,320 pounds of food, the largest donation from one parish. The donations stocked pantry shelves at Catholic Charities in Rio Grande and Holy Redeemer Food Bank in Cape May County.
“The FaithFULL Food Drive continues to bring the parishes together as one group to help combat food insecurity in our communities,” Sanchez said. “There is a significant impact we make together when we work across six counties and 62 parishes.”
During the Diocesan Eucharistic Congress that was held March 25 along Camden’s waterfront, thousands of faithful, including staff members of the Diocese, donated more than 1,000 pounds of food including canned goods, pasta, jarred sauces and snacks. The items will help supply Catholic Charities pantries in Camden County.
The collection was made possible with support from the Knights of Columbus. Raymond Sands, state secretary for the Knights of Columbus, organized a team of Knights including district deputy John McNutt and deputy state membership director George B. Tutwiler, FDD, who volunteered alongside Catholic Charities leadership to collect the goods from the event’s attendees.
“Thank you to the Knights of Columbus and their ongoing willingness to help the community we serve,” Sanchez said.
Katie Hagan is marketing manager for Catholic Charities Diocese of Camden.
at the bottom and then tap “Add to Home Screen”
