BEFORE THE SUN RISES every morning, St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church (Huntington Beach) parishioner Sylvia Spence heads to various grocery stores searching for food.
“Because I buy bulk, it’s easier for me to get into the grocery stores early,” she told Orange County Catholic. “I go to Costco, Aldi, Walmart, Grocery Outlet. Anywhere I can find a good price or a discount price. I look for a lot of clearance. But I have a great crew. It’s not just me.”
VOLUNTEERS FROM THE SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL GATHER TOGETHER AT THE FOOD PANTRY LOCATED AT ST. VINCENT DE PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH IN HUNTINGTON BEACH AFTER DISTRIBUTING FOOD TO FAMILIES IN NEED. PHOTOS BY MIKE VULPO/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
Spence, along with nearly 25 volunteers, come together at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Huntington Beach to help feed an average of 736 families per month as part of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. The international organization assists families and the homeless by providing them with food and groceries, financial assistance, household necessities, medicines and other special needs.
For Wayne Lamarre, who has served as the president of St. Vincent de Paul’s Huntington Beach chapter for the past eight years, he continues to be amazed at what volunteers accomplish every week thanks to the generous support of parishioners.
“Everyone here has a heart of compassion,” Lamarre said. “They know these people who come in for food personally. In many cases, they know the backstory of their life. It’s a personal bond and a relationship that you develop.”
During one Thursday when food assistance was offered, 91 people came through in just 90 minutes. Ten of those individuals were currently homeless, with one living on the streets for more than 20 years.
St. Vincent de Paul parish manager Andy Sison applauds the society for the love and care they show every visitor hoping for some assistance.
“They work with people in reestablishing or emphasizing their dignity,” Sison said. “They go the extra mile. It’s not just about, ‘Here’s your box, see you later.’ They get to know the people that are here. They’re truly in need — maybe for a week, maybe for a year, maybe longer. But it’s really about dignity. They listen to their stories. They try to go the extra mile.”
LENDING A HAND OUTSIDE THE KITCHEN
While the food pantry is an important component, providing financial assistance to those living within church boundaries is another aspect that makes this ministry helpful for so many.
“We have a tremendous increase in the amount of people who are coming for aid,” Lamarre said. “A lot of people are really pressed for rent. The rents are going up. We had one month where we did 17 home visits where we gave out roughly $1,000 to each person to stay in their apartment because they were behind on rent.”
Regardless of what neighborhood you live in, Lamarre believes there are always people who could use an extra hand.
“You don’t realize the poor that are in your neighborhood,” he said. “They come in here and they have a $300 rent raise. Well, their income didn’t go up $300 and they’re basically living hand to mouth to begin with. These are the working poor.”
Treasurer John Dudash has seen the impact monetary aid can have on an individual struggling to get by. When the church receives a note of gratitude, it keeps all of the volunteers motivated to assist even more in need.
“We’ll get a nice thank you note in the mail saying how their life was changed,” Dudash shared. “Us helping them stay in their apartment for that extra month got them
over the hump. They were able to get their job straightened out. They’re back to going to church again. We’ve made a significant impact on their life. When that happens, it really stirs you to continue to do what we’re doing here.”
For Lamarre, helping others is in his DNA. During his life, he’s lost a home and a business and “saw the bottom.”
By the grace of God, he’s now in a position to help others and pay it forward to those who are going through hard times.
“I was up and down my whole life,” he said. “I lived the richest and I lived the poorest, so I’ve always had a place in my heart for someone who’s in need, because I’ve been there. To me, this is the work of a Christian, and the work of any Catholic is to take care of his brother. If I got it, I’m gonna give it.”
TEAM EFFORT
Before planning another grocery store trip to pick up food for the next distribution day, Spence makes it clear that she isn’t the only one who deserves credit for keeping the pantry thriving. The former grocery store employee credits Thuy Vu for helping with produce every week. She also thanked her “right hand lady” Terry Suber for always coming in at 7 a.m. to help with bread and other necessities for a successful distribution day.
“We love helping out these people and they are very appreciative,” Spence shared. “They’re very grateful for the stuff that we have. They love us, and we love them.”
If you would like your parish food pantry featured in OC Catholic, contact [email protected].