SPRINGFIELD - Catholic Charities, Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, recently received 4,211 pounds of food from Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA).
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CCUSA has a mission “to provide service to people, families and communities in need, to advocate for justice in social structures.” They support a national network of local Catholic Charities agencies committed to encountering those along the margins, regardless of their faith.
Catholic Charities, Diocese of Springfield in Illinois has seven regional offices in the 28-county Springfield Diocese that offer 22 different programs. Addressing food insecurity is a foundational focus of service. Catholic Charities operates the St. John’s Breadline in Springfield, the Meals on Wheels program of Macon County and 13 traditional and mobile food pantries across the diocese. The recent temporary suspension of SNAP benefits created a surge of people seeking assistance. “The timing of this generous donation could not have been any better,” stated Steven Roach, Executive Director. “While we were able to allocate available resources to address the recent surge of families coming to our food pantries, this gift will allow us to significantly replenish our supplies.”
Roach emphasized that hunger remains a persistent and stubborn societal issue and fears that the public may have the misperception that the issue of food insecurity has been satisfactorily resolved now that SNAP benefits have been restored. “Government programs such as SNAP are very important, however, they fall way short of addressing the depth of food security in our country. That is why the generosity of our parishioners and donors is so critical in helping us to address hunger all year round,” stated Roach.
The donation from CCUSA, delivered by Sysco, included seven pallets of food – one pallet of vegetables and fruits, one pallet of shelf stable milk and five pallets of staples such as pasta, rice and beans, soup, etc. Additionally, some common household supplies were also delivered.
“Our primary need now is for proteins, milk, bread and other perishable food items so we can provide well rounded meals to our families. Monetary donations give us the flexibility to purchase these as items as needed,” stated Patrick McConnell, Area Director for Springfield Catholic Charities.
For more information on to support Catholic Charities Food Relief programs visit cc.dio.org or contact Development & Marketing Director Jasmine Drake at 1.217.523.9201, ext. 304 or drake@cc.dio.org.
For more information on the mission and work of Catholic Charities USA, go to the website https://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/, call 703-549-1390 or email info@catholiccharitiesusa.org.
