Deacon Jack Shea, ChDD, is pictured above, center, with volunteers at the Hope Food Pantry in New Rochelle after a donation delivery.

The Food Ministry of the Westchester Area has remained active throughout the pandemic delivering essential food supplies to churches, homeless shelters and soup kitchens in lower Westchester County, the Bronx and Harlem. Food donations are collected several times a week from a local supermarket and a regional bread company and delivered to those in need.

The collection and deliveries are organized by Deacon Jack Shea, ChDD. Several members of the Westchester Area not only serve on the collection and delivery team, but also supplement the collections with additional donations of food and money. Local members serving the ministry in addition to Deacon Shea include Bill Knowles, Pierre Ferragu, Bill Haney, and Rick Martinez.         

The following organizations have been receiving regular assistance from the program:

• The Jeanne Jugan Home, an eldercare facility operated by The Little Sisters of the Poor in the Throgs Neck section of the Bronx
• Trinity – St. Paul Episcopal Church Brown Bag Lunch Program located in downtown New Rochelle feeds over 150 people five days a week

• HOPE Community Services operates a food pantry and soup kitchen at Saint Gabriel’s Church also in downtown New Rochelle.

• The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFR) have utilized our donations in their neighborhood outreach ministry in Harlem and at their St. Anthony’s Shelter for Renewal in the South Bronx.

• Missionaries of Charity (Mother Theresa) operate their Queen of Peace soup kitchen and men’s shelter in the South Bronx.

• POTS (Part of the Solution) is a soup kitchen, food pantry and service provider for the poor located in the Fordham section of the Bronx.

• The Daystar facility of Good Counsel Homes in Westchester County.

• Sts. John and Paul Breakfast Run serving the Midnight Run organization prepares and serves a hot breakfast to the homeless once per month on the street in Manhattan.