“You are not alone. You have your community behind you.”

Father Tuck Grinnell’s words spoke volumes to those in need who gathered at last Saturday’s Day of Hope at Corpus Christi School in Falls Church.

A joint effort by Arlington diocesan Catholic Charities and both Catholic and non-Catholic local organizers, the Day of Hope reached out to the hungry, unemployed or those requiring legal, career or financial counseling.

“This has been a difficult year for many people,” said Father Grinnell, pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish, located adjacent to Corpus Christi. “People were beginning to lose hope. (They) don’t know where to turn, they get depressed and they get passive.”

The Day of Hope’s focus was to match these struggling community members with appropriate resources, said Steve Luteran, director of Catholic Charities. Representatives from Legal Services of Northern Virginia, the Fairfax County Community Health Care Network and Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) were on hand to answer questions and distribute materials. One-on-one financial, legal and career counseling was available; health screenings and training information reached out to those in need. The room devoted to emergency assistance ran out of empty chairs.

The need at St. Anthony alone, which is located in an immigrant-centric part of Falls Church, has gone “through the roof,” Father Grinnell said, with 100 families being fed each day.

But it’s not only poorer families that are feeling the pressures of a bad economy; middle class families, those who once felt secure, are also hurting.

“The pain is not just one class of people,” Father Grinnell said. “The pain is spreading.”

The unemployed “haven’t just lost a job, they’re devastated by it,” said Sally O’Dwyer, Catholic Charities associate director of community services. “Now they’re in debt, they’re having marital problems, they’re stressed out.”

The Day of a Hope was a way to come together as a community, O’Dwyer said.

“There are things that you can do,” she said. “You can turn to your church.”

In addition to volunteers from St. Anthony, those from St. Charles Borromeo and Our Lady, Queen of Peace parishes, both in Arlington, helped point clients in the right direction, including to presentations on managing stress, getting out of debt and how to avoid home foreclosure.

Luteran’s hope is that similar events will soon be held in other parts of the Arlington Diocese.

“This is not an end in itself, this is a beginning,” he said. “Our diocese is here to help.”

“This is the grassroots level,” said Ellen Gray, who staffed the NOVA table. “If we can help people, there’s a direct linkage to helping the economy.”

Some clients arrived early, some arrived later, and all left with at least a bag of food. Sandra Marino looked for job resources and legal counseling. Hazel Hemmings targeted information on career training and school. Pricilla Lingad needed financial assistance. Father Grinnell was in the middle of things, directing pedestrian traffic to the appropriate exhibits, counselors or presentations. All attendees registered upon arrival, and Catholic Charities will follow up to see who needs additional assistance.

“This is a day of solidarity,” Father Grinnell said. “We are not alone because we are one body, we are one united group, all children of a loving God.”

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Catholic Charities: 703/841-3830 or ccda.net