Last year, Fuel and Hunger funds helped Catholic parishes, organizations, and their community partners serve more than 55,000 families and over 170,000 individuals in our Diocese who were in need of assistance. This year, the Office of Justice and Peace has provided 63 grants, totaling just over $170,000, thanks to the generous support of the Annual Diocesan Appeal by Catholic parishioners across the Diocese.
Ms. Brenda Orie is the Director of Social Ministries at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Newport News and runs St. Vincent’s Social Action Center, one of this year's Fuel and Hunger Grantees, with the support of countless volunteers from the parish and from the community. Ms. Orie came to work at the Center 13 years ago after 35 years in management at the shipyard in Newport News. “Although I had been a parishioner for 50 some years, I had no idea how many people in our community were in need.” Ms. Orie said.
The Social Action Center provides meals to over 100 people in need everyd day, Monday - Friday. “We serve many homeless people,” said Ms. Orie, “but not everyone we serve is homeless. We get people who have been released from prison and come to us with nothing but the clothes on their backs, we get people who have lost a job due to the economy and are unable to pay rent and buy food and clothes. Many people have fallen on hard times and just need a little help. Regardless of the situation a person is in, they still need our help. We are not here to judge; we are here to help.”
13 years ago when Ms. Orie took on the roll of organizing and running the Center, there was an active food pantry and daily feeding program. Over the years, the Social Action Center has developed additional services like their clothing closet and their job coaching program for people returning from periods of incarceration. The Center provides bus passes to individuals who do not have transportation to a doctor’s appointment or to the department of Social Services, and financial assistance for people in danger of being evicted or having a utility disconnected. Every year, St. Vincent’s also organizes a Downtown Christmas Party, typically held the Saturday before Christmas, for between 500 and 600 people who would otherwise receive no gift on Christmas morning. “When we see a need, we try to respond,” says Ms. Orie, “we stay very busy, but that’s what it’s all about – helping people in need.”
Although the Social Action Center is sponsored by St. Vincent’s in Newport News, it takes the efforts of countless volunteers to come together and make the programs work. Volunteers come from St. Vincent’s, from other area congregations, and from other civic groups who hear what the Social Action Center is doing and want to be a part of it. Even sailors from the nearby Navy ships stop in to help every Tuesday. “People come from all walks of life and they seem to enjoy helping – it’s been a blessing; without the volunteers, we could never be able to do what we do” said Ms. Orie. “No one Church can do all of this by themselves – it takes people coming together, people banding together to make helping others happen. Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who makes the Fuel and Hunger Fund possible. Everything that we get is a help – when you’re feeding over 100 people a day, it takes a lot.”
It’s fitting that a parish with the name St. Vincent de Paul has such an active Social Ministry - St. Vincent is the patron of charitable activity, as well as of our Diocese. St. Vincent said "Let’s give ourselves to God, then, once and for all, let’s work, let’s work, let’s go to the assistance of the poor... who are waiting for us."
When we go out and talk to the people who run efforts like the one at St. Vincent’s, we can’t help but be amazed at the scope of the work being done, and the inventive ways that our parishioners, parishes and Catholic Charities’ agencies give themselves to God by going to the assistance of people who are poor.
When we go out and talk to the people who run efforts like the one at St. Vincent’s, we can’t help but be amazed at the scope of the work being done, and the inventive ways that our parishioners, parishes and Catholic Charities’ agencies give themselves to God by going to the assistance of people who are poor.
Jay Brown
(a version of this article appears in the upcoming issue of the Catholic Virginian)
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