For years, Father Kevin B. Walsh worked with diocesan Catholic Charities to serve hungry people. Once a month, the St. Lucy Food Project would drop off a truck at Precious Blood Church in Culpeper, where he is pastor. Parishioners would fill the truck with nonperishable food and send it back to the St. Lucy warehouse in Manassas for distribution around the diocese.
Then COVID-19 hit and Father Walsh and his parishioners started finding out about many neighbors who were struggling: They’d gotten sick or lost their jobs and were running low on food for their families. That’s how the idea of starting a food pantry in a former rectory on the church property was born.
“When the COVID epidemic came, I just said to the parishioners, ‘Folks, I think it would be great to have a food pantry here,’ ” Father Walsh said. “I said, ‘Let’s call it St. Joseph’s Table.’ I have to admit that I had the idea, but the people did all the work. They just ran with it.”
Parishioners began contributing food, but it wasn’t long before pantry organizers realized they needed a more robust source of food. The pantry director contacted the St. Lucy Food Project and asked if they could help.
“It’s been a wonderful partnership,” Father Walsh said. “We have the place here on the ground. We’ve got the need, we’ve got the volunteers. Catholic Charities has been just so great in providing the vast majority of our food that we’re able to give out to people.”
St. Lucy Program Director Vincent Cannava said St. Lucy provides about 90 percent of the pantry’s food.
Pope Francis has said the church needs to go to the peripheries to serve those in need — both those on the geographical peripheries and those on the peripheries of society.
“That’s what Catholic Charities does throughout the diocese,” said Catholic Charities President and CEO Stephen Carattini. “We partner with urban, suburban and rural parishes — such as Precious Blood — to provide food, financial assistance for rent, utilities and car repair, and mental health counseling, education, and other essential services.”
“We couldn’t do it without the generosity of the parishes and parishioners in our diocese,” he said.
Georgia S. lives across the street from the St. Joseph’s Table pantry. She is elderly, has diabetes and trouble walking. She was bedridden when the pantry opened three years ago and a pantry volunteer came over and knocked on her door and asked her if she needed food.
“They usually come over here and knock on my door and say, ‘Is anybody picking up your food today?’ ” Georgia said. “And then sometimes they’ll bring it over to me.”
She keeps a recipe book handy on pantry days to find ways to use the food she receives. This day, Georgia said, “I got some chicken and hamburger and some two cans of fruit and some green beans” as well as a bag of rice and cereal.
“Bless you for what you’re doing,” she said of Catholic Charities and her pantry neighbor. “It really helps the people who really need it.”
Snider is the diocesan deputy director of communications.
To donate
The annual Catholic Charities Parish Christmas Collection takes place Dec. 9 and 10. To donate online go to ccda.net.
Watch a video about Catholic Charities and St. Joseph’s Table.
