The JSM Summer Campaign is underway – to stock the three pantries we serve at St. Thomas More, Holy Name, and Assumption in the inner city.
Summer is the most difficult time of year for the pantries, as donations are typically down, but the need is still very great. So, the JSM Foundation has appealed to suburban churches to host collections of canned and packaged non-perishable food, which the foundation then collects and delivers to the pantries weekly.
The response has been encouraging, with a number of churches participating, including: Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Washington; St. Francis Assisi, Derwood; St. John Neumann, Gaithersburg; St. Mary’s, Rockville; Resurrection, Burtonsville; St. Andrew the Apostle, Silver Spring; St. Bernadette’s, Silver Spring; St. John the Evangelist, Silver Spring; St. Peter’s, Olney; Our Lady of Grace, Silver Spring; Holy Redeemer, Kensington; Mother Seton, Gaithersburg; St. Elizabeth, Rockville; St. Nicholas, Laurel; St. Michael’s, Silver Spring; St. Mary’s, Barnesville; Holy Cross, Garrett Park; St. Raphael, Rockville; Little Flower, Bethesda; and Our Lady of Mercy, Potomac. Other churches are planning to come on board as well, as the summer progresses.
In addition to the non-perishable food, the JSM Foundation shops for perishables, such as milk, eggs and produce – as funds allow – and delivers these as well.
Many thanks to the pastors and parishioners of these parishes, who are living the Gospel of feeding the poor among us.