Father Brendan Curran’s 2012 class of Leadership Greater Chicago shared a March Saturday morning with the people of St. Pius V. They spent the morning learning about food insecurity, then serving the guests who came to St. Pius V soup kitchen for a hot meal.

Our guests got a well-rounded picture of the nutrition needs in Chicago from:

• Socorro Flores, Director of St. Pius V Parish’s soup kitchen and food pantry;
• Angel La Luz, Vice President of Volunteer Engagement for the Greater Chicago Food Depository;
• Umberto, a young adult who explained that the food, family counseling, and spiritual support from St. Pius V kept his family together during their darkest days;
• Alma, a special education teacher who attributes her success to the commitment of her mother, who needed food from St. Pius V to feed Alma and her siblings when they were young;
• Miguel Alba, Community Relations and Government Affairs director for SuperValu;
• Israel Vargas, executive director of the San Jose Obrero Mission

After hearing about the needs of hungry Chicagoans, the LGC participants got to meet them. They served 60 women and men who came into the hall for a warm meal. “I’m holding back the tears,” one participant said. “It’s one thing to see this on television and

another to witness it firsthand.”

One in five Chicagoans are considered “food insecure.” That doesn’t mean they are homeless or without work, necessarily. It may mean that their check doesn’t stretch far enough to allow them to eat three nourishing meals every day each month. Socorro says she sees a steady increase in the number of people, particularly families, who need our services.

“When I told the group that it costs us $1,250 to keep the food pantry open each month, one of the LGC participants handed me a check for that amount,” Father Brendan said gratefully. Can you do the same? The folks we are feeding here will be grateful to you, too. You can make a secure donation on line by clicking here. If $1,250 is too much right now, consider a gift of $54.00. That will keep hunger at bay for the next 50 men, women, and children who come to our door for help.