down the interstate to a nearby town, where it would be
passed on to other volunteers and distributed across the
state’s hardest hit areas.
“Nobody could figure out how it
happened so quickly, but it did. People
I’d never seen before showed up at the
door and asked, ‘How can we help?’”
Holly Hall, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, VT
Through the end of September 2011, the relief ministry was
operating seven days a week. As time went on, the volunteer
effort thinned to five days a week, then three days a week.
It now continues to operate one day a week. Though it’s
been months since Hurricane Irene hit, there are still many
Vermont residents in need of assistance.
Without a corporate structure, the relief ministry was
largely an ad-hoc operation. The door to St. Paul’s was
always open, so every day would bring new people, new
materials, and new challenges. The daily numbers were in
constant flux, so volunteers had to coordinate with their
contacts in the affected towns as people’s needs changed.
And those numbers were quite impressive. At its peak, St.
Paul’s Hurricane Irene Relief Ministry was preparing almost
700 meals per day. An estimated 7,000 meals had been
distributed through its first
three months of operation.
On the surface, most of
the relief work has been
material support. But while
sandwiches and casseroles
may satisfy appetites, it’s the
moral support of volunteers
that mends broken spirits.
Reverend Vogele noted that
providing food and supplies
has been “an entrée into
people’s lives. It’s been a way to
keep their spirits up. It means
a lot to people to know that we
haven’t forgotten them.” Relief
coordinator Kendrick agreed,
noting, “We’ve made really
strong bonds with people. The
food has always been a way
into people’s homes so we can
support them.”
When it comes to St. Paul’s
relief ministry, it’s easy
to get lost in the sheer volume of sandwich-making,
transportation, and volunteer hours. But the statistics,
while impressive, hide the human element and do not tell
the whole story of what Kendrick called “an emotional
journey.” In post-Irene Vermont, food has been an effective
and meaningful way to create relationships and strengthen
emotional bonds with the Hartford community and beyond.
Irving Park Lutheran Church: Three Brothers Garden
On a warm summer evening in northwestern Chicago, a
small lot in the West Walker neighborhood is buzzing with
activity as volunteers gather at the community garden for
the weekly evening harvest. No one sent a call for action –
members just show up to pick, weigh, wash, and bag produce
to donate to the nearby Irving Park Community Food Pantry.
The evening harvest includes carrots, tomatoes, peppers,
lettuce, and cucumbers, with no rotten or wilted vegetables
allowed. Seeds have been planted and friends have been
made, as local residents have gathered together to harvest
quality, nutritious, locally grown food.
Three Brothers Garden is named in honor of Helge, Carl,
and George Carlson, all longtime members of Irving Park
Lutheran Church (IPLC). Following the death of the last
brother, a bequest was made to the church, which used those
funds to establish a nonprofit organization in the brothers’
name. Carlson Community Services was established
in 2004 and has since been dedicated to community
outreach through afterschool children’s activities, fine arts
programming, immigrant assistance, and senior citizen
Members of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in White River Junction, VT, prepare food to distribute to
victims of Hurricane Irene. Photo courtesy of St. Paul’s.
Sacred Places • Summer 2012 • 18