Parish Neighbors provide efficient, effective help to those in need

The referral calls that come in to St. Bernadette’s Parish Neighbors are difficult to listen to: three families had lost everything in a house fire; a family needed a mattress for their niece who came to live with them after suffering abuse at home; and a steady stream of families need food to satisfy their basic needs. 

A cadre of 52 volunteers at Parish Neighbors efficiently and effectively gets help directly to the people in these vulnerable situations. The group, which has existed for 30 years, has no real overhead or bureaucracy, and is funded 100 percent by donations and volunteers. They provide food, personal items, gift cards, and other means of assistance. Pat Grise, who leads the Parish Neighbors, is an unassuming, organized, hardworking grandmother of 10. I chatted with her once about a friend in need of some support. I was struck by her genuine nature and basic understanding of the needs of those struggling.

Grise notes that the group’s volunteers are dedicated and reliable and that she “never has to beg for volunteers.” Through confidential referrals, Parish Neighbors helped over 1,300 individuals  and more than 300 households in 2023, primarily in the Southtowns. When faced with a need, Grise says the group figures out ways to fulfill that need. She adds, “God always blesses us.”

Parish Neighbors helps those who “fall through the cracks” and need food assistance, people injured at work, and the working poor who live paycheck to paycheck and may make a few dollars over the maximum to qualify for social services, or who unexpectedly miss a paycheck or suffer job loss. Grise explained that food insecurity is the basic focus of Parish Neighbors. She explains “we are the net that catches them.”

Parish Neighbors encompasses a number of ministries – the food pantry, Christmas Giving Tree, Sunshine Committee, Martha’s Meals, funeral luncheons, and Warm the Children. As already noted, the food pantry is their primary ministry, and it is stocked entirely by weekly food donations from parishioners. This isn’t just a feel-good group. They are highly effective, efficient, and transparent in their activities. Parishioners know their money is being put to good use, driving a steady source of funds. Grise initiated the practice of generating semiannual reports to the parish that detail the number of families and individuals helped each month and describe any special projects such as the home fire. Grise initiated the report because “if we ask people to support something, we need to show results and accountability to people who donate.” This transparency has resulted in an increase in donations. There are no elaborate fundraisers, just a letter to donors outlining what the group has accomplished and asking for help.

As resources dwindle and parishes combine into families, Parish Neighbors is an effective model showing the impact of putting faith into action. Grise summed it up by noting that the volunteers and parishioners who support the ministry are a “lifeline to the people we serve.”        

For referrals or more information contact the St. Bernadette Parish Office at 716-649-3090.