The “Food Place”

Dear Parishioners,

I go to NCEON every week on Wednesday to help move food. I am sure you have heard about NCEON. It is a food pantry that supports the needs of the poor in north Anne Arundel county. It stands for the North County Emergency Outreach Network. St. Jane Frances is one of the biggest supporters of the program. John Ena does a wonderful job of collecting and organizing food, and the parish is wonderful in its generous support. It is in a small building on the grounds of a small church in Glen Burnie. The place was closed over the holidays. I went back after New Years. I help in taking in and sorting food that is dropped off, and making it ready for people to take home. The first Wednesday back, we had a very busy day with numerous large drop offs.

The night before I was to go to NCEON, my granddaughter asked about the “food place.”

She told me that she had something for me to take. She comes up with a large box filled with cans and boxes of food items. She tells me that over the month of December, she put something in the box every day, that her mom said it was ok. Of course I was happy to take her donation and was also proud to tell the other NCEON workers about it. This represents her giving spirit that I think is placed there by the Holy Spirit. And certainly the generosity of a child underscores the great love that it represents.

Let us therefore, believe in each other and in the great God who created us. We have the task to take care of each other. This is basic to our religious DNA, to our faith, to the life of the person who died to save us. May we be generous of ourselves, our time, our talents, and our treasure.

Blessings,
Deacon Steve