I will never forget my first day of work at Catholic Charities more than 22 years ago. As a single mom struggling to make ends meet, I didn’t have the most reliable car. Sure enough, after a chaotic morning with my children, my car broke down. I was panicked that I would not be able to get to work on time or get there at all. A friend gave me a ride at the last minute, but I was frazzled when I arrived.

Stepping into the doors of Catholic Charities was like stepping into a calming oasis. My new supervisor warmly welcomed me and told me how happy they were to have me. Not only did she soothe my anxiety, but she insisted I leave early to get the car repaired! The rest of that day I watched the staff treat each each person we serve with the same compassion and respect that I had been shown. I decided right then that the good Lord had brought me to my “forever home” at Catholic Charities.

I have held several positions at Catholic Charities, but I have spent the bulk of my career working with our food pantries. I currently supervise the operation of our eleven pantry locations in Cook and Lake counties. It is tough work, but I love it. It is a ministry for me. Every day I get to show the same love and compassion that Jesus showed to people who are facing challenging life circumstances—circumstances that are not so different from those I experienced myself. There are so many people hurting in our communities right now who need the mercy and support of Catholic Charities. In FY22, we served an average of 3,500 households per month across our eleven food pantries, and we continue to serve many more people than we did before the pandemic.   

The rising cost of food and growing inflation have impacted everyone, but low-income households are particularly hard hit. More and more, our neighbors must make tough choices about whether to put gas in the car, pay rising rent and heating bills, buy medicine, or buy food. People often forgo fresh meat and produce in favor of cheaper, less healthy alternatives. Even though most of the families coming to us have at least one working adult, they don’t earn enough to sustain the household in this economy. And nearly half of the people we serve are seniors living on fixed incomes that have not kept up with today’s prices.

Providing nutritious food to people in need is a privilege that we do not take lightly. We know that good nutrition is essential for human life to thrive and is often the first step on people’s journey to achieving their God-given potential. Catholic Charities takes a holistic approach, connecting the people we serve to other needed supports such as counseling, job training, senior services, or rental and utility assistance as needed. Each day we strive to make our food pantries the oasis that I experienced on my first day of work—a place where people feel wanted, welcomed, and have confidence that their lives are about to change for the better.

Catholic Charities relies greatly on volunteers to staff our pantries, and food and financial donations to keep our shelves stocked. Unfortunately, we tend to see a drop off in donations and volunteers after the holidays. I welcome you to consider sponsoring a food drive in your church or school, making a financial contribution, or joining our team of volunteers. Please visit ccofchicagovolunteer.com for more information We’d love to have you join us—help us witness a message of mercy and hope .to people in need.