Festive celebration of Catholic Charities Food Pantry’s first year
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An oasis in what was once a food desert has become a community where people nourish one another.
All in a year’s time.
“It just keeps getting better,” stated Bill Heberle, a volunteer at the Catholic Charities Food Pantry in Jefferson City.
He was partaking of the revelry during an early-spring celebration of the client-choice pantry’s one-year anniversary.
Cake, balloons, live music and an abundance of visitors filled the space where people with limited resources are welcomed and helped.
“I can’t say enough about the staff here,” said Mr. Heberle. “Their hearts are all in the right place.”
Anyone who needs it can start a membership at the client-choice food pantry with just a photo I.D.
Located at 1015 Edmonds St. in Jefferson City, it is open every Monday and Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. and every Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
It allows members to choose foods that are familiar, fresh and culturally appropriate in a grocery-store setting that honors the dignity of each client, encourages healthy food choices, reduces food waste and provides learning opportunities and community-building experiences.
“This area in particular is part of a low-resource community,” said Lori Stoll, food programs coordinator for Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri. “A lot of people in this area don’t have transportation.
“Our being here allows them access by walking,” she stated, “and it’s easy to catch a ride if you’re just going down the street with another neighbor rather than all the way downtown or across town to get to the other pantries that are there.”
Mr. Heberle has been volunteering at the pantry since shortly after it opened.
He remembers being advised at orientation, “If you have to err, err on the side of generosity.”
“And that really got me,” he said. “I knew right away that this is the right place for me.”
He started out working on Wednesday evenings during pantry hours and has settled into stocking shelves on Mondays and Wednesdays.
“It’s an enlightening experience to see how lucky and blessed I am,” said Mr. Heberle, a member of St. Peter Parish in Jefferson City. “And being able to do just a little bit to help somebody else, I think, is working my faith in action.”
The pantry is open two mornings and two evenings per week.
People often arrive ahead of opening just to enjoy each other’s company.
“I’m stocking shelves at 3 o’clock and the pantry doesn’t open until 4, and we have a whole group of people, and they’re visiting with each other,” said Mr. Heberle.
It’s more than a community: “It’s a family!” he stated. “And it’s just growing all the time. Wonderful clients, wonderful staff, wonderful volunteers.”
The food pantry unites people of many backgrounds and faith traditions to help and to be helped.
“I think it is a fantastic way for the Church to be with the flock, to be with those who need help,” Mr. Heberle stated.
It adds up
By the end of 2022, 1,577 households were enrolled in the Catholic Charities Food Pantry, bringing 4,063 pantry members a step closer to food security; and 300,000 pounds of food had been brought home by pantry members, reallocating $500,000 in grocery money back into family budgets.
For the first three months of 2023, more than 600 total households received assistance from the pantry, with the total number of people in those households increasing from 1,694 to 1,735.
A total of 114,013 pounds of food were provided in January through March, while volunteers in the food pantry clocked 832 hours of service.
Mr. Heberle has been retired for about two years and found out about the Catholic Charities Food Pantry while volunteering at a local food bank.
He hates ever having to miss his shift.
“I get more out of it than the people who come here and get food,” he stated. “The smiles, the kids, the people are so appreciative.”
He believes it’s good for people who have been materially blessed to see firsthand that “not everybody has everything they need” — and try to help.
He admires how Catholic Charities doesn’t just give people something to eat and send them on their way.
“With all the other services that are available here, they’re really trying to help people make their own lives better, one at a time,” he said.
“Moments of contact”
Mr. Heberle suggested praying for continued success of the pantry and all of the programs at Catholic Charities.
“That they continue to grow and meet the needs of the people where they’re at, and use these moments of contact to help make their life a little better,” he said.
Catholic Charities, an entity of the Diocese of Jefferson City, responds to the needs of people in 38 counties regardless of faith, culture or situation.
This includes services for refugees and immigrants, those with food insecurity, mental health needs, health and nutrition education, and basic needs.
Catholic Charities is a partner of The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri, which provides food to partner pantries at no cost.
The food pantry and all Catholic Charities Health & Nutrition Services programming receives support from the Community Health Improvement Services program of SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital.
Support for the agency’s SmartChoice online inventory and ordering software has been provided by the United Way of Central Missouri’s Community Support Grant program.
For more information about how to donate or volunteer, visit cccnmo.diojeffcity.org.
