Maria sat in her car a little longer than necessary. At nearly 71, she had learned to make do, stretch a fixed income, rework meals, and convince herself she didn’t need much. Asking for help was not part of the plan, but as grocery prices climbed and SNAP benefits reduced, the choices narrowed. Hands tight on the wheel, she resolutely turned into the parking lot of a Catholic Charities mobile food pantry.

“I swallowed a lot of pride yesterday and took advantage of the Food for All Mobile Pantry service for the first time,” Maria shared. “On my small, fixed income, I’ve been struggling for months. With the rampant inflation we’re all suffering, it’s only getting worse. With this service, I won’t be worried about food.”

Maria received more than groceries placed gently into her trunk – she received dignity. Volunteers stood outside in the cold and treated her not as a number, but as a neighbor.

Across southwest Ohio, her story is becoming increasingly familiar.

“The recent shutdown has had a profound impact on the families we serve,” said April Hoak, Food for All Coordinator for Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio. “Many households were already living on the edge, and when SNAP benefits were reduced, it created an immediate gap in their ability to put food on the table.”

Pantry visits surged by nearly 30% in a very short time. Many of those seeking help were doing so for the first time.

For Tony Stieritz, CEO of Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio, the response has always been clear. “We are motivated by the Gospel, which compels us to help our neighbors in need – even when it’s unpopular.”

As need increased and pantry lines grew longer, Catholic Charities stepped it up. “With special appeals and a generous response from the community, our food budget increased,” Hoak explained. “Our volunteers increased too.”

The hope was that no one would be turned away, but sadly it still happened. “It’s hard to tell someone we’ve run out of food,” Hoak said quietly. “We feel that emotionally as well.”

Support from the Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA) helped ensure those moments became fewer. “For some time, our community has urged us to expand our services,” Stieritz said. “Thanks to CMA funds, we’ve been able to step up in significant ways during a very challenging year.”

Through CMA support, Catholic Charities provided additional mental health counseling, expanded food distribution to rural communities and low-income students, served hundreds more at empowerment centers, and offered emergency assistance to families who had nowhere else to turn.

However, the heart of the ministry isn’t found in numbers.

“We distribute outside in wind, rain, snow, and heat,” Hoak said. “Volunteers stand and work in it all.” She remembers one particularly cold day when a client noticed a volunteer without gloves. “The client took off her own gloves and gave them to the volunteer,” Hoak recalled. “It was kindness received and given both ways.” Mutual care – the quiet exchange of dignity and grace – is what sustains this work.

“This ministry is a witness to me about the presence of God,” Hoak reflected. “God’s love is felt most when we remain in community and offer a hand to one another.”

The need continues. Catholic Charities is preparing to open new food pantry locations and expand outreach to seniors and immigrant families, but the work depends on the faithful. “The needs we’re responding to are real,” Stieritz states, “We could not do this work without the generosity of others.”

For Maria, what looked like simple generosity was life changing. Food on her table. Peace of mind. Reassurance that when she finally asked for help, someone was there.

Article by Lisa Fletcher