On Sunday, volunteers from Viatorian parishes of the Bourbonnais-Kankakee region were gathering food donations, bringing them to collection hubs, and refilling the food pantries that serve their hungry neighbors.
Associate Julie Lampley (right) volunteered with the crews at MBVM.
“The 35th Annual Harvest Sunday was a huge success. We had beautiful weather – a little brisk but beautiful sun and no rain or snow. Thank you, Jesus!” Associate Michelle Barrie, youth minister for St. Patrick in Kankakee, IL, said.
Volunteers left flyers at homes around the region on the Halloween-All Saints Day weekend, and then crews returned this past Sunday to collect donations from neighbors’ porches. The two-part process leads to big yields to support local food pantries. “We got to watch that seed explode into blossom, with many, many bags full of canned goods and non-perishables. We served 12 different food pantries. It was amazing!” Michelle said. “Thank you to all the teens, young adults, and parishioners who help make this day such a beautiful event.”
Many of the routes brought their food to Bishop McNamara, where Michelle and her teammates coordinated student volunteers who unloaded trucks, organized donations, and grouped items to pass on to a range of food pantries. Several other routes delivered their collections to Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Bourbonnais, IL, where parish volunteers organized them to restock the parish’s on-site food pantry.
The volunteers at MBVM have quite a system! The result is a lot of help for neighbors in need who come to visit the parish pantry.
.
Student volunteers at Bishop McNamara Kankakee site use the big parking lot for reception, organization, and distribution.
“Sunday at the Parish Center was magical! We had planned and organized even better than last year,” Amanda Fierce, who coordinates youth ministry for MBVM and St. George Parish, said. “We set 35 routes around Bourbonnais, and we had about 50 families who helped cover it all.”
Thanks to the extraordinary amount of donations, the MBVM volunteer crews also restock additional community resources beyond food pantries. They gathered up all baby items, including a huge quantity of diapers, and restocked the supplies at the Pregnancy Resource Center in Kankakee. They also set aside particular items and delivered them to Bradley West Elementary, where staff members assemble special weekend kits students of easy-prep food that students can bring home.
The Viatorian Community strives to read the signs of the times and discern actions that respond to unmet needs. We thank the many volunteers and generous neighbors who worked together to serve the underserved hungry neighbors of our community.