Did you know that Nov. 16-22, 2025, is Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week?
Read Matthew 25:31-46. Then read it again. Jesus is telling us that whatever we do (or don’t do) to others, we do it to Him. He also tells us that we will be judged according to how we treat others. I don’t know about you, but that gets my attention.
When we encounter someone on the street looking for food, what is our reaction? Our response should first be to recognize that this individual has been created and is loved by God — no matter what. There is no room for judgment for a person living on the street. We have never walked in their shoes and don’t know their story of how they became homeless. Consider:
• Perhaps they have been homeless their entire life.
• They may have been a victim of abuse and had to run away.
• Maybe they lost their job and could not find a new one. For those who think to themselves “Why don’t they get a job?” — have you ever offered them one?
• They may suffer from mental illness. It may seem logical to us to do certain things to help ourselves, but their mental illness likely causes them to lose capacity for such logic. Medications, too, can cause other problems. If we don’t know what it’s like to be mentally ill, then we just don’t know what it is like to be mentally ill.
• Although they may very well use the money for drugs … they may not. I would rather give money to someone who may use it for drugs than to face Jesus one day and hear Him say to me, “I sent those people to you for money for food, which they really needed, and you judged them.” Once that money is released from my hands, it is between that person and God what they do with it.
When you do give, give like you’re giving to someone you love.
I asked a poor man what he liked to see in food pantries. He looked down and said, “I hate to sound ungrateful. I really do appreciate what people are willing to give, but could you try to make sure the food matches?”
He once went to a food pantry to receive only a package of stale taco shells and a jar of mayonnaise.
He said, “I mean, I do appreciate it, but what was I supposed to do with that?”
If you buy an item for the food pantry, get what you like yourself. If you’re donating tuna, donate mayonnaise and crackers, too. Also, beware of expiration dates. Most food pantries cannot give out food that has expired. So, if one gives expired food packages to a food pantry, it only creates more work for the food pantry, as they have to throw it out.
If you feel uncomfortable around people in general and prefer to work behind the scenes, consider volunteering at a food pantry to be the shelf organizer. You can toss expired items, stock new items, and ensure they are shelved correctly, with items expiring sooner in the front and later in the back. Food pantries are grateful for that act of service!
Simply acknowledging a person can go a long way.
There was a homeless man I frequently saw at a Center City train station on my daily commute. He was always pleasant, greeting everyone who passed him. I had a lot of affection in my heart for this man, but one day, I was hurt for him.
As he was busy chowing down on a Chinese lunch combo, a lady walking past him shoved her face in his and said with disgust, “Why don’t you get a job?!”
His face crumbled. He replied sincerely, “I would like to,” but the lady hadn’t waited for an answer; she had already stormed off.
It happened so fast, and I wanted to respond, but I thought to myself, “He doesn’t need a couple of bucks … he already has lunch,” so I simply called out, “Enjoy your lunch!”
He lit up and called out, “Thank you! God bless you! God bless your day! God bless your weekend!”
Treating him with disdain was enough to ruin his lunch. A simple well-wishing was enough for him to enjoy it again.
If you live or work where hunger and homelessness are rampant, it is easy to be overwhelmed by it — or worse, become desensitized. How can one begin to make a difference? Say a little prayer, “Loving Jesus, bring to my attention the soul who needs your help through me today.” Amen.
Sister M. Emily Vincent Rebalsky, IHM, is the program director at Villa Maria by the Sea Retreat Center, Stone Harbor.
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