The Valley Catholic
IN OUR DIOCESE
3
October 8, 2013
Local Rice Bowl grants awarded to
parishes to feed the hungry
By Roberta Ward
Every year Catholic Relief Services
sponsors the Rice Bowl project during
Lent which provides financial support
to CRS’s many worldwide programs for
people in need in over 100 countries.
Locally Linda Batton, Director of
Social Ministries for the Diocese of San
Jose, administers the Rice Bowl. She
explained that three-fourths of funds
collected by dioceses are sent to national CRS and the remaining amount
is available to dioceses to provide for
local needs.
In the Diocese of San Jose, parishes
may submit proposals for grants which
are scrutinized by the Global Solidarity
Team, chaired by Deacon Steve Herrera who is a permanent deacon and
religion teacher at Archbishop Mitty
High School.
Herrera, a CRS Global fellow, explained, “It’s about relationships – God’s
kingdom – rooted in Genesis which says
we are all made in God’s image and likeness. We are one human family, and by
supporting the Rice Bowl program, you
are changing lives and helping to create
a more peaceful world.”
He said that CRS is engaged in an
array of works, both emergency and
development, and includes Fair Trade in
the United States. “This is all the ‘Good
News’ of what the Church is doing,”
he said.
Herrera noted that today, CRS is engaged with other agencies dealing with
“the horrific experiences of the people
of Syria, with four million displaced
and two million refugees, especially
the kids. True solidarity enables us to
feel others’ pain!”
Batton also noted Syrian relief efforts of CRS as well as current needs
in Mexico following recent massive
flooding. She said funds in the recent
collection were “up this year and will
help parishes start or expand programs
to help feed the hungry in Santa Clara
County.”
Local available funds for 2013 totaled
$20,750 and the full amount was distributed to nine local parish projects. Each
project is largely run by volunteers who
stretch the funds--and their time and
effort--to provide what may seem like
small things, BUT make a big difference
in the lives of people in need.
• Queen of Apostles Ascent Employment Program, a third year recipient,
received $2,000 to continue to provide
healthy snacks and light lunches for
their clients who are searching for jobs.
Begun in 1985 by the late Father Jim
Mifsud, SM, Ascent has helped over
10,000 people with job seminars, help
with resumes, technology assistance,
and other job search-related activities.
• Christ the King Holiday Food Program was awarded $2,000 to provide additional food, especially fresh fruits and
vegetables for Thanksgiving, Christmas
and Easter food baskets. They also provide breakfast food.
Margaret Balistreri explained that
Queen of Apostles Ascent Program (l-r) Alezar Morales, Sandy Rains, Kevin Ryan, Gladys
Koke and pastor Fr. Thuc Si Ho.
MHT Feeding the Hungry Program, Juan
Aquino (l) and Br. James Sanders, S.J.
Christ the King Holiday Food Program (l-r)
Margaret Balistreri and Marta Lewis.
Our Lady of Guadalupe Amigos de Guadalupe (l-r) Dr. Stanley Rose, Maritza Maldonado,
Beth Walkington and Bob Brown.
the parish is in a very poor area of
San Jose where there are many social
problems. “Our parish is poor, but our
parishioners are generous,” she said.
• Our Lady of La Vang (formerly St.
Patrick Parish) was granted $2,500 to
provide free food for its Health Fair and
Cultural Day for 1500 people who receive
health information and screenings.
Parishioner Jim Pham explained
that, currently, their parish – following
a devastating fire -- has no one place to
all come together. On weekends, Mass is
celebrated in various places and they are
divided into Vietnamese, Spanish and
English speaking communities.
The Health Fair will bring the community temporarily together in the
parking lot. “There are a lot of poor
people in the community who will benefit from the Health Fair, and we plan to
serve sandwiches and water with our
Rice Bowl funds,” Pham said.
• Our Lady of Guadalupe Amigos
de Guadalupe, received $2,500 provide
healthy lunches and snacks to children
in the year-long after school program in
the eastside neighborhood.
• Most Holy Trinity received $2,500
for the “Matthew 25”--Feeding the Hungry program, to expand its current space
by 12 feet to allow for more food items
and space for a refrigerator/freezer,
according to Jesuit Bro. James Sanders.
The $2500 is a portion of the $10,000
cost for expansion, but other groups are
in place who will fund the remaining
amount.
• Queen of Apostles received $2,500
for its Thanksgiving Dinners for the
Needy to provide 120 families with
holiday baskets of food.
• St. Catherine of Alexandria was
granted $2,500 to sustain and expand
its new hot meals program, four times
a week, in conjunction with Martha’s
Kitchen, for the needy in Morgan Hill.
• St. Lucy was given $2,500 for its
St. Vincent de Paul St. Lucy Conference
program to purchase food, fresh produce vouchers, milk and perishables.
Volunteers Helen Stewart and Linda
Kelly said that “the need is growing in
the Campbell area because food is get-
ting to be so expensive now.”
• St. Mary, Gilroy received $1,750 for
its St. Joseph Family Center Supplemental Nutrition Program to purchase food
items for 500 very low-income families
during the holidays.
Volunteer David Cox explained that
the south county area, especially eastside Gilroy, is 13 percent below poverty
level and that families are at risk of
homelessness.
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