by Leisa Parsons, Area Media Specialist
The line of cars which stretched over 5 miles long is a testament to the crushing weight the COVID pandemic has placed on many families. The people came this evening for the opportunity to get some free food, diapers and hopefully a little relief. “Food from the Heart”, sponsored by Catholic Charities of San Antonio brought out not only those in need, but hordes of volunteers.
Volunteers came to show their support for those suffering during this time. Shannon Landen, from the San Antonio North Stake’s Sonterra Ward, really felt like she needed to come help this evening. That was a lot easier said than done since the virus has truly scared her. She said “If I can do this, anybody can do this because I am a huge chicken.” Landen continued, “Yesterday I had the thought come to me about the mothers of the Stripling Warriors, that their sons knew their mothers knew it. As I thought about that, I began to think about what example am I setting for my senior son who is about to go off to BYU and serve a mission. I thought, I’m not setting a very good example of faith if I’m hiding away in my house. I asked my husband for a blessing of comfort and here I am.”
Catholic Charities President/CEO, Antonio Fernandez, said, “We are so proud of our great city for stepping up to help their neighbors and to our partners who continue to serve with us by providing food, funds, and collaboration when our community needs us most.”
The donated goods handed out tonight included vegetables, fruit, canned goods, meat, eggs, milk, and pasta to provide healthy nourishment and diapers and masks to support the vulnerable population in the community.
After entering the parking lot next to St. Stephen’s CARE Center, each car was given numbers indicating how many people were in their family, with the pink tags indicating the size of and need for diapers. As the cars snaked through the parking lot, they were broken down into three lines to help speed up the process.
Many folks started lining their cars up hours before the 5:30pm kick off. Despite their long wait, one volunteer mentioned how impressed he was by the patience and gratitude shown by the recipients as they drove through and received needed supplies.
Lines of individuals also stretched for over a couple of blocks to accommodate walk-ins. Supplies were constantly being restocked as the cars kept coming, even as nightfall approached.
