On Sunday, March 6, the third annual one-day FaithFULL Food Drive took place in the Diocese of Camden, with parishes and schools across its six counties collecting canned and non-perishable goods for local food pantries.
The donated items will bring some relief to a region that, according to Feed America, has one in six people facing food insecurity, with one in five being children.
The items collected, including vegetables, vegetable juice, soup, tuna, applesauce, and jars of peanut butter, went to the Food Bank of South Jersey (Pennsauken), the Community FoodBank of NJ (Egg Harbor Township), Catholic Charities, and local and parish-run food pantries.
Bishop Dennis Sullivan kicked off the food drive after the 9:15 a.m. Mass at Saints Peter and Paul Parish in Turnersville, with a blessing of the food collected by parishioners.
The “exciting” day was a “great opportunity for the Diocese of Camden to participate in during the Jubilee of Mercy,” said Michael Jordan Laskey, director of Life & Justice Ministries for the diocese.
“As Feeding the Hungry is one of the most well-known of the Corporal Works of Mercy, FaithFULL was a great way to respond to the Holy Father’s call. We have the opportunity and privilege to help make this world closer to God’s dream for it.”