My family and I are in
the process of moving, and I’ve used it as an opportunity to get rid of things
we don’t use on a regular basis.
It shocked me to see
the number of boxes we filled with clothes that no longer fit, non-perishable
foods we haven’t used, perfectly good toys that aren’t played with and dishes,
toiletries and other household items we were holding on to.
We were living in excess
when so many others don’t even have the basics. There are people who would LOVE
to eat those boxed meals I’d been saving or use the diapers I’d kept for a year
or clean with the vacuum we’d had in storage.
So it made me feel good
when we gave some of our coats to the Spirit Catholic Radio coat drive, dropped
off several boxes to a thrift store and donated food to a pantry.
There are always people
in need no matter what time of the year – “you will always have the poor with
you,” Jesus said – but during the winter months, the weather is colder and
pantries and shelters generally see an increase in the number of people they
serve.
That means unless
donations are being made during these upcoming months, those organizations won’t
be able to best serve their clients and guests.
Tim Sully, development
director of the Siena/Francis House in Omaha, Nebraska’s largest homeless
shelter, said he expects the shelter to house about 500 people a night starting
in December. That means they’ll need more blankets, pillows, toiletries, winter
clothes, coffee and disinfectants.
“We are always
overcrowded, no matter the weather,” Sully said. “We try not to turn anyone
away if they show up at our door.”
Phil Luna, coordinator
of the Holy Spirit/St. Patrick Food Pantry in North Platte, said the city’s
high schools provide a large amount of canned fruits and vegetables with food
drives in December, but they’ll need more non-perishable food items and canned and
frozen meats to keep the shelves stocked.
“We’ve seen a steady
increase of people all year long,” Luna recently told me.
On average, the pantry
serves 100 to 125 families a month.
People who make food
donations enable organizations, such as the St. Vincent de Paul Society,
continue their mission of serving those in need, said Cindy Jandrain,
coordinator of the Society’s Omaha food pantry.
“They are a direct
blessing to our clients through their donations,” she said.
Father Chris Kubat,
executive director of Catholic Social Services for the Diocese of Lincoln,
agreed.
Those who receive help
from Catholic Social Services, which last year provided shelter, immigration,
housing, counseling and refugee resettlement services, food pantries, thrift
stores and emergency cash assistance to nearly 30,000 individuals, are very
appreciative of the donations, he said.
“I just wish sometimes
that our donors could see the looks on the faces of the families we help and
how grateful they are,” Father Kubat said. “They come into our office with
tears of sorrow and they leave with tears of joy.”
He said Catholic Social
Services could use emergency cash for families who seek help when their
utilities are shut off, as well as all types of food for the pantries and
winter coats, boots, hats, scarves and gloves for the thrift stores.
Most people don’t
choose to be homelessness or poor. I’m quite aware that with a change of
circumstance my family could be on the receiving end, and that makes me want to
give more and more often.
So in the spirit of the
holidays, give. Find a pantry, shelter or thrift store in your area and make a
donation.
Here are suggestions of
where to donate:
Siena/Francis House,
Omaha – 402-341-1821, sienafrancis.org
St. Vincent de Paul
Society of Omaha – 402-346-5445, svdpomaha.com/home
Holy Spirit/St. Patrick
Food Pantry, North Platte – 4th and Chestnut, 308-532-0942
Catholic Charities of
Omaha – 402-554-0520, ccomaha.org
Simon House/St. Vincent
de Paul – 1853 10th Ave., Columbus, 402-564-8444
The Stephen Center –
2723 Q St., Omaha, 402-731-0238
Catholic Social
Services – 402-474-1600,
cssisus.org
Blogged by Lisa Maxson, Senior Writer/Reporter
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