Three weeks later, $1,000 in monetary contributions had been collected and two mini-vans loaded with food rolled off to the Coalition headquarters at 1117 W. Pennsylvania Ave. in Southern Pines.
St. Joseph Treasure Chest volunteer Pat Finnerty relayed the news that the Coalition's food shelves were dangerously low and needed to be replenished. While the Treasure Chest volunteers often donate clothing to the other nonprofit group, many at St. Joseph were not aware the Coalition dispensed food products to those in need in Moore County.
Upon learning the Coalition was experiencing a critical drop in food donations at a time when families are most in need, St. Joseph's departments of pastoral care and volunteer services launched a spontaneous system-wide food drive.
Helpful volunteers like Nancy Butters spent a half-day meticulously wrapping corrugated boxes with enticing paper to catch the eyes of potential contributors. Placed at the retirement communities of The Villas at Pine Knoll and Belle Meade Retirement Resort, the assisted living facility of The Coventry, and the Health Center's lobby and rehabilitation center, bags and bags of breakfast, lunch and dinner products began to fill the boxes the first day they were situated throughout the campuses.
The Rev. Carl Naylor, St. Joseph of the Pines director of pastoral care and mission, addressed the needs at the Protestant worship services. Inserts were included in the Protestant bulletin and also distributed after Catholic Mass on Sunday at Belle Meade and the Health Center.
In addition to the cereals, canned fruits and vegetables, macaroni, beverages and stews that supporters of the drive carefully bag up and place in the food drop boxes, monetary donations flooded in.
"Many children will be fed, thanks to St. Joseph's food drive," says Jackie Ingram, fulltime Coalition food chair volunteer. "With school out we're swamped with requests for food."
The organization screens clients for eligibility for food and clothing. Money donated allows the Coalition to pay heating, light, and doctor bills. With checks specifying "food drive," Ingram can purchase frozen chickens and other items requiring refrigeration.
"When our donations of food dwindle we have to go to the food bank and buy food to give to our clients," Ingram says.
"There is always a need for food and never is there a bad time to give," says Coalition volunteer Joan Mergins, carrying the bags out of St. Joseph to load in the van. "Any day a mother with up to nine children can come in for food, so we always worry when the shelves are getting empty."
St. Joseph's Pastoral Care and Volunteer Services departments often collaborate on various activities to support and further the health care system's mission and to represent its core values.
"The scope of the mission and ministry of St. Joseph of the Pines extends way beyond our campus walls," says Naylor. "As a Catholic and Christian institution we also seek to promote the ministry of the Sisters of Providence, the sponsoring congregation of St. Joseph. Over eight percent of Moore County families live below the poverty level while 20 percent of families residing in Red Springs live below that level. These alarming statistics and the reality of the rapidly depleting food shelves of the Coalition served as a call to ‘faith and mission in action' to which Saint Joseph has responded."
Jeralie Andrews is the director of volunteer services at St. Joseph.
