Parishes step up to feed the needy

Belle Chasse
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, 8968 Hwy. 23: Those needing food within the parish boundaries should call the church office at (504) 394-0314 throughout the week. The pantry, staffed by parishioners and members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, is open on Monday at 9 a.m. for pickup. Emergency distributions also are available. 

Covington
Most Holy Trinity Church, 501 Holy Trinity Drive: Food is donated by parishioners during the week and at weekend Masses and is picked up every Wednesday by the Northshore Food Bank in Covington. 

Franklinton
Holy Family Parish: The parish partners in a multi-denominational food bank with Help Center of Churches, 946 Ellis St., Franklinton. Parishioners are heavily involved through leadership, volunteers and donations. The executive director is a Holy Family parishioner. The pantry is open for registration on Tuesday from 9 a.m. to noon, and food boxes are distributed from 1:30-2:30 p.m. Any western Washington Parish resident, age 18 and over, can apply. Food and monetary donations come from individuals, community clubs and 16 churches, as well as from Second Harvest Food Bank.

Jefferson
St. Agnes Parish, 508 Shrewsbury Court: The parish food pantry, run by parish volunteers and the St. Vincent de Paul Society, is open by appointment to anyone needing food who lives within parish boundaries. Food is donated by parishioners and is available once a week. Call (504) 833-3366.
 

Kenner
Divine Mercy Parish, 4337 Sal Lentini Pkwy.: Food pantry in the Parish Community Center (to the right of the church) is stocked by parishioners and run by the St. Anthony Ministry to the Needy. It is open Wednesday from 1-3 p.m. for families in need who live within the territorial boundaries of the parish. A photo ID or proof of residence is required. 

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, 2008 Short St.: Food pantry, stocked by Second Harvest Food Bank and parishioners, is open Wednesday and Thursday from 9:30-11 a.m. It is open to parishioners and anyone in need residing within the parish boundaries. A family can receive food once a month

St. Jerome Parish, 2402 33rd Street: The Ministry of Concern food bank is staffed by volunteers and receives food from Second Harvest, parishioners and community groups. It is open each Wednesday from 1-3 p.m. in the Parish Hall for anyone residing within parish boundaries or a nearby parish without food bank. Recipients must meet income guidelines and provide identification and proof of address. A family can receive food once a month. Packaged foods as well as cold foods are provided.  

Lacombe
Sacred Heart of Jesus: The parish’s Knights of Columbus delivers food boxes to participants in the Food for Seniors program. The parish also partners with The Samaritan Center, 402 Girod St., Mandeville, by donating funds monthly, and parishioners place food items in a basket at church.

LaPlace
Ascension of Our Lord Parish, 799 Fairway Drive: The Hearty Meal program serves 65 dinners on Thursday from 12:30-2:30 p.m. Call the parish at (985) 652-2615 for registration details. The parish pays for the food and packaging, and Knights of Columbus members cook and distribute the meals. Food pantry donations are collected from parishioners and donated to St. John the Baptist Ministry of Care in LaPlace.

St. Joan of Arc Parish: Parish food donations are sent to the St. John the Baptist Ministry of Care, 217 W. 5th St., which is open Wednesday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Applicants must show photo ID as proof of residence.
 

Luling
St. Anthony Parish, 234 Angus Drive: The food pantry, staffed by the parish’s Manna Social Outreach and stocked with donations from parishioners, is open every Wednesday in the Manna Building. Recipients qualify based on household income and receive food once a month. 

Madisonville
St. Anselm Parish, 306 St. Mary St.: While the parish does not have a food pantry, it has a pickup box for donations to the Northshore Food Bank in the gathering area of church. The Northshore Food Bank is located at 125 W. 30th Ave., Covington; (985) 893-3003.

Metairie
Our Lady of Divine Providence Parish, 1000 North Starrett Road: Food pantry, staffed by volunteer Rosie Doll and others, is open Tuesday and Thursday from 9-11:30 a.m. Recipients must live within the parish boundaries and meet income guidelines. They can receive food every two weeks. Food is supplied by Second Harvest Food Bank and through donations from parishioners.

St. Angela Merici Parish, 901 Beverly Garden Drive: Food bank, staffed by volunteers from the St. Vincent de Paul Society and stocked by parishioner donations, is open Wednesday from 10 a.m.-noon. It is available to anyone who resides in the parish or neighboring parish without a food pantry. Any family needing food receives food.

St. Benilde Parish, 1901 Division St.: The food bank is maintained by the St. Vincent de Paul Society, which interviews individuals to determine eligibility. Call (504) 233-3246 for more information. Food is available, by appointment, Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m.-noon. Food is available to families living within the parish boundaries. The pantry is stocked through donations from parishioners and parents of St. Benilde School students.

St. Catherine of Siena: The parish’s Helping Hands ministry distributes food Thursday from 10-11 a.m. at the Melancon Center, located behind the church at 1643 Metairie Road. Day bags are distributed to the needy on a daily basis, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the rectory office, located to the right of the church, 105 Bonnabel Blvd.

St. Christopher the Martyr Parish, 309 Manson Ave.: Food donated by parishioners is available on request. Deliveries are made to those without transportation once a month.

St. Francis Xavier Parish, 444 Metairie Road: Food pantry, staffed by volunteers with Deacon Ed’s Food Bank, is open Thursday from 9-11 a.m. at St. Joseph Hall. Parishioners have first priority for food, and, as resources permit, others are assisted. There is no limit to the number of times a person can receive food. Parishioners and school families donate money and groceries.

St. Louis King of France Parish, 1609 Carrollton Ave.: Parish maintains a list of families who receive grocery bags once a month. Families need to register by contacting the parish office at (504) 834-9977 for an interview. To meet the needs of everyone, walk-up food donations are limited to once a month. Volunteers of the St. Anthony Food Pantry Ministry oversee the program, and parishioners donate the food.

St. Mary Magdalen Parish, 6425 West Metairie Ave.: Food bank, staffed by parish volunteers and stocked by parish donations, is open Wednesday from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the social apostolate building. Those living within the parish boundaries may come every other week. 

New Orleans
Mary Queen of Vietnam Parish, 5069 Willowbrook Drive: Second Harvest Food Bank provides food boxes that are distributed by parish volunteers to needy individuals, mostly seniors, on Wednesdays. Call (504) 254-5660 for more information.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church: The church’s food ministry is conducted at St. Jude Community Center, 400 N. Rampart St. Through early November, the city and FEMA will continue to distribute  meals from food trucks parked in front of the center seven days a week from 9:30-10:30 a.m. After this program ends, the center will distribute bagged lunches weekdays from 9:30-10:30 a.m. St. Jude also prepares three meals a day for 100 guests of  the city’s low-barrier shelter in the CBD. Packaged meals are available in a drive-up line at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Church parking lot Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. 

St. Alphonsus Parish (St. Mary’s Assumption Church): Food bank at Hope House, 916 St. Andrew St., is open 9 a.m.-3 p.m., for those living within the parish boundaries. Food is supplied by Second Harvest Food Bank and parish donations. Hope House, which is managed by Don Everard, also helps with rent and utilities.

St. Anthony of Padua, 4640 Canal St.: Food bank, operated by volunteers of the parish’s social apostolate, is open Thursday from 3:30-5 p.m. for those who are either registered parishioners or who live within the parish boundaries. Each family receives two or three bags of food, depending on the size of the family, every other month. 

St. Katharine Drexel Parish, 3325 Danneel St., New Orleans: Three hundred meals provided by Second Harvest Food Bank are served to the community every Tuesday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. All are welcome without restrictions. The meals are served by parishioner volunteers.

St. Peter Claver Parish, 1839 St. Philip St.: The parish food bank, operated by the Edmundite Social Mission and Deacon Allen Stevens, is open Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Masaada Building. Recipients must be low income; they receive food once a month. Food donations come from Second Harvest Food Bank and parishioners.

St. Rita Parish, 2729 Lowerline Drive: St. Rita’s “Red Box” – located behind the church on Pine Street, is open 24/7. Anyone can receive food, everyone qualifies, and there is no limit. The parish asks individuals to take only what they need. The Red Box is run by Gladewaves, founded by Janie Glade; parishioner Mark Azzinari; parish social worker Brittany Breaux; and parishioners, community members and Notre Dame seminarians. The box is replenished twice a week by Gladewaves, twice a week by St. Rita Church and by daily donations from parishioners, community members and St. Rita School students and staff.
 

Norco
Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, 401 Spruce St.: The parish’s Ministry of Care operates a food bank that serves anyone residing within the parish boundaries with monthly food distributions. Individuals are asked to call (985) 764-6503 in advance. Donations come from parishioners and a grant from the Norco Community Fund.

Reserve
Our Lady of Grace Parish, 780 Hwy. 44: Parish volunteers staff a food bank, with food donated by Second Harvest Food Bank, in the Joseph C. Rodney Parish Hall on the second and fourth Thursday of the month from 5-7 p.m. Recipients must be residents of St. John civil parish and meet qualifications outlined in the Second Harvest application that is completed on each household. Households receive food once a month.

River Ridge
St. Matthew the Apostle Parish: St. Matthew has a partnership with St. Rita Parish in Harahan, whose food bank at 375 Oak St. in Harahan, is open Thursday from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. People who reside in St. Matthew the Apostle Parish are interviewed by St. Vincent de Paul representatives. Those who qualify may receive food five times in a three-month period. Food is donated by parishioners and school families.

St. Bernard
St. Bernard Parish, 2805 Bayou Road: Food distributions are made once a month – on the Wednesday following the second Tuesday of the month – from 9 a.m.-noon at Iverson Hall and two adjacent buildings. The parish also responds to emergency food needs. Volunteers from St. Bernard Church, Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Violet, Our Lady of Prompt Succor Church in Chalmette, St. Thomas Church in Pointe a la Hache and a Protestant church in Chalmette staff the pantry. Most of the food is supplied by Second Harvest Food Bank and other donations.

Slidell
St. Margaret Mary Parish, 1050 Robert Blvd.: The food bank, operated by volunteers through donations from parishioners, is open Monday from 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. and Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m.-noon and 1:30 -3:30 p.m. Families can receive food once every six months.

Westwego
Our Lady of Prompt Succor Parish, 146 Fourth St.: The parish, through its Society of St. Vincent de Paul conference, distributes pre-packaged food boxes on Fridays at Badeaux Hall by appointment. Participants must call ahead at (504) 347-2316. Families who live within parish boundaries are eligible to receive food once a month. Donations come from parishioners, and food is purchased through monetary donations.

Other
The Hispanic Apostolate, 2525 Maine Ave., Metairie: A food bank is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

The Rebuild Center at St. Joseph Church, 1803 Gravier St., New Orleans: Lantern Light, Inc., operates a food bank for neighborhood residents on first and third Fridays from 9:30-10:30 a.m.; lunch is provided Monday through Friday from 1-1:30 p.m.

– All information provided by parishes