Catholic Charities Christ House in Alexandria marked 50 years of caring for the underserved Sept. 28 by doing what it’s best known for: serving dinner to its clients. Only this time, birthday cake was on the menu.
Reflecting on the milestone, Stephen Carattini, president and CEO of diocesan Catholic Charities, invoked an analogy Pope Francis made early in his pontificate likening the church to a field hospital after battle, where caretakers triage serious wounds before they can address underlying maladies.
“If the church is the field hospital,” Carattini said, “Christ House is the emergency room. This is where people first come when they are wounded.”
For 50 years, poor, hungry and vulnerable men, women and families have flocked to Christ House. It relocated in 1977 to its current location in Old Town Alexandria, a three-story, centuries-old brick building at the corner of Prince and S. West Streets. Services offered over the years include housing, food, workforce development and mental health counseling. Staff and scores of parish and community volunteers pack and distribute food in the pantry, tend the vegetable garden, sort clothing donations and serve dinner.
Since its beginning, people have lined up nightly, rain or shine, for the hot evening meal prepared, transported and served by more than 40 local parishes and community groups. Christ House distributed 17,627 evening meals during the fiscal year that ended June 30 — an increase of more than 40 percent over the previous year. On average, 48 clients are fed each evening.
Twice weekly individuals and families — up to 90 a week — come to the pantry for canned foods, rice, cereal and other staples, but also meats, dairy, fruits and vegetables. Catholic Charities St. Lucy Food Project, which collects and distributes food throughout the diocese, had its roots in the Christ House cellar.
Up to 14 homeless men can participate in a residential workforce development program, where they receive spiritual, educational and other support. Not long ago, Ronald Redman, 62, was unemployed, estranged from family and struggling with alcohol. He was accepted into the Men’s Transitional Housing Program at Christ House.
“We only went by two things,” Redman said. “One was the spirituality, and the other was learning how to sustain life outside of Christ House.”
Redman learned about setting up structures and daily routines — he added a long predawn prayer walk to his routine — and about budgeting and financial accountability. He had one-on-one conversations with his case manager and group conversations about anger and other challenges he faced. Most importantly, he delved deep into his relationship with God. Today, Redman lives in an apartment near his siblings in Maryland.
“I didn’t know I had this much life in me. I never knew I could be doing the things I’m doing,” Redman said. “I owe so much of my life to Christ House.”
Father Robert C. Cilinski, pastor of Nativity Catholic Church in Burke and diocesan episcopal vicar for charitable works, said his time at Christ House shaped his five decades of service as a priest.
“After I began working at Christ House, when I was driving through Old Town, I recognized the people who came there. I knew their names. They were always there but I drove right past them,” he said. “It opened my eyes to be aware of the poor and needy. They are there and are everywhere.”
Snider is diocesan deputy director of communications.
Catholic Charities Christ House pantry is moving to a larger facility
The food pantry at Catholic Charities Christ House in Old Town Alexandria is moving to a new location later this month.
While Christ House will continue to serve the evening meal and house men in its transitional housing program, the food pantry and Alexandria-based emergency assistance staff will relocate to the newly established Catholic Charities Alexandria Regional Offices at 4725A Eisenhower Ave. Catholic Charities operates a similar pantry and emergency assistance office in Sterling, called the Loudoun Regional Office.
The Eisenhower Avenue facility will be a one-level, 1,700-square-foot facility with plenty of space for storage and refrigeration. The larger space will allow clients to come in and shop for their food. Parking is ample for clients, nearly all of whom drive to the current facility.
The new pantry is also near a major refugee housing complex. Pantry managers hope to eventually be open four days a week and evenings, depending on volunteer assistance.
The pantry at Christ House will close after distribution Oct. 26 and re-open at Eisenhower Nov. 1.
