Feed the Poor

[CalledtoServe]

Some times the need out their is so great that it’s easy to get frozen into inactivity while spending time in prayer & researching the options. We give items to the St. Vincent de Paul store. However, our children are old enough now where we can take a more active part in our community.

How have you taken up Christ’s call to feed the poor, clothe the naked, visit the sick, etc.? What recommendations do you have?

 

[geezerbob]

The mother church in Columbia, St. Peters, feeds the homeless one Saturday each month. Two or three times a year, I will help out with that. They also team up with First Baptist and feed about 3,000 on Thanksgiving and Christmas. I’ve helped with that a couple of times. The downtown Methodist church also operates a daily soup kitchen. If you don’t have anything like that where you live, think about starting something.

Working with St. Vincent is also worthwhile. It gets you into the homes of the down and out and lets you be an instrument of help to them (Never go alone. You sometimes end up in some rough places).

If you’re good with tools, Habitat is worthwhile.

Look around in your community and see what’s going on. I’m sure you can find a group which would love your help. It doesn’t necessarily have to be Catholic - we don’t have a monopoly on helping the less fortunate. You will be blessed beyond anything you might imagine.

 

[wcknight]

I support the Catholic Relief Services, and several local charities… but I also collect for the Handicapped and for other charities through my work with the KofC.

 

[iserve]

Just a few ideason’t be too stuck on the terminology of “feeding” as just food. There is so much money around in some areas for this purpose, that the food is just surplus. However, we may “feed” the spirit, and serve the lonely, isolated, and ignorant. Home visits to elders as a parish project, teaching Religious Ed (if you are knowlegeable about the Catholic Church), working with young parents, ministry with Youth and young adults (post-Confirmation), nursing home visiting, tutoring at Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA, etc. Attention and love and understanding feed the souls of those who need it, and when it is done in the Name of God, you can win one for Him. Money and our excesses are sometimes a poor substitute for true caring. I have seen people fight over belonging to St Vincent dePaul who are serving the same folks for years while others, whose needs are less visible, go wanting for anyone to observe and care for them. Best of luck to you.