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Arlington diocese pantries and parishes respond to pandemic with emergency aid

Leslie Miller | Catholic Herald Staff Writer

Volunteer Mary Ann Kaahanui of Woodbridge sorts canned beans at the food pantry at Holy Family Church in Dale City. COURTESY

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When families visit the food pantry at Holy Family Church in Dale
City, they come away with “a shopping cart full of food, including high-value
kinds of things like meat, milk and produce,” as well as canned goods, worth
about $153 per visit, said George “Digger” Smith, a volunteer who coordinates
operations at the pantry.

The number of clients has nearly doubled during the coronavirus
pandemic, especially after the pantry was featured recently on Spanish-language
TV, Smith said. Serving clients in Woodbridge, Dale City and Lake Ridge, the
pantry supplied food for 196 families of four or five members each, for a total
of 979 people in June, up from 106 families (486 people) in March. 

The pantry became part of Prince William County’s Emergency Food
Distribution Network in late April, and now receives weekly deliveries from the
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as well as ongoing support from the
St. Lucy Food Project, run by diocesan Catholic Charities. “Both have been willing
to be responsive on short notice” to meet emergency needs, Smith said.

Holy Family is one of many pantries assisted by Catholic
Charities, the social services arm of the Arlington diocese. The agency said it
has provided more than $1 million in food and aid for emergency rental and
utility assistance to an estimated 7,000 people over the past four months since
COVID-19 cases started showing up in Northern Virginia.

cc graphics all 3 “One of my highest priorities throughout this pandemic has
been to ensure that we only increase our outreach and support of the poor,”
said Bishop Michael F. Burbidge. “With the generous and steadfast support of
donors as well as volunteers and staff, we have been able to help thousands of
people throughout the diocese in different ways. I am so proud of the work
Catholic Charities continues to do in living out our Gospel mandate.”

Since March, Catholic Charities has distributed 492,186 pounds of
food worth $797,341 to 6,000 people, a 154 percent increase from the same
period in 2019. Its St. Lucy Food Project supplies food to families served by
three Catholic Charities pantries: Loaves and Fishes in Front Royal, Christ
House in Alexandria and the Leesburg regional office, as well as more than 60
parish, interfaith and community pantries across the diocese.

Aid prevents evictions

Catholic Charities also has responded with emergency assistance
to prevent families and individuals from being evicted and becoming homeless if
they can’t pay their rent or utility bills. Catherine Hassinger, director of community
services, said since March, Catholic Charities has helped more than 315
households pay rent or keep their lights on. The emergency assistance program
saw a 288 percent increase in rental aid between April and June. 

“Many of the individuals calling us for assistance are first-time
callers,” Hassinger said. “They had stable employment before COVID-19 and were
able to pay their bills. They might have been barely holding on, but they were
holding on. When the pandemic hit, they were furloughed or lost their jobs
entirely and now find themselves unable to pay for even the most basic needs,
like food or rent.”
In addition to those direct services, Hassinger said her staff also provides
information. 

When people call, “they are often scared and confused about what
help is available to them. We help them understand what resources are available
in their communities. We explain the process for seeking assistance, like what
information they need to have on hand.”

Hassinger doesn’t expect a slowdown in
requests for assistance any time soon. 

“About a third of our callers lost
their jobs and even those who have been called back are frequently working
fewer hours, which leads to a smaller paycheck.”

She said as the pandemic continues,
Catholic Charities is anticipating spikes in some of its programs. 

For example, she said, protections
against evictions is ending, “and we are already getting callers desperate for
help with two or even three months’ rent. They are facing homelessness, they
are terrified, they feel guilty for having ‘lost’ their housing and they feel
helpless. The situation for many of our neighbors is going to get worse, and we
are preparing for how to best help them when they reach out.”  

Catholic Charities also provides free medical care, pregnancy and
adoption services, mental health counseling and assistance for immigrants and
refugees. Many programs, such as counseling and English language classes for
immigrants, have pivoted to offer online programs during the pandemic. 

A cause for generosity

Art Bennett, president and CEO of diocesan Catholic Charities,
said that while many people are in “pandemic free fall” and desperately need
help, the crisis “has inspired many more to be generous and are giving time and
money to help their brothers and sisters in need. We pray that this continues.”

Between March 1 and June 30, 3,800 donors provided more than $2.3
million — that’s 1,900 more donors and $1 million more in donations than during
the same period in 2019.

As with Holy Family, many parishes run their own food pantries,
donation centers and other programs to meet emergency needs. Some have created
partnerships or provide regular support for other community organizations, such
as Arlington Food Assistance Center and Reston-based Cornerstones. 

Christ the Redeemer Church in Sterling is part of an ecumenical
food pantry called LINK, which has given out 125,000 pounds of food plus
$50,140 in grocery cards to 1,668 families during April, May and June.
According to the pastor, Father J.D. Jaffe, from April 1 to July 22, the parish
also has provided $252,700 in financial assistance to 282 families through a
combination of grants from Catholic Charities, Loudoun Cares, and from private
foundations, as well as the generosity of parishioners and neighboring
parishes.

The food pantry at Our Lady, Queen of Peace Church in Arlington
now has triple the number of clients each week at its food distribution than it
had before the pandemic. Staff and volunteers have been able to continue to keep
up with the need, thanks to contributions from parishioners, Catholics in other
parishes, members of other nearby churches and donations from private
foundations, including a $45,000 grant from the parent company of Safeway.
World Central Kitchen, a relief organization founded by chef Jose Andrés, also
provided meals for Queen of Peace volunteers to distribute. 

Many dioceses across the nation, including Arlington, also have relied
on federal “bridge loans,” which the chairman of the U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops’ domestic policy committee said have helped allow essential
ministries to continue to function in a time of national emergency.

“The Catholic Church is the largest nongovernmental supplier
of social services in the United States,” said Archbishop Paul S. Coakley
of Oklahoma City. “Each year, our parishes, schools and ministries serve
millions of people in need, regardless of race, ethnicity or religion.”

Zoey Maraist contributed to this report. 

 

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