St. Vincent De Paul prepares 7,000 meals daily in downtown Phoenix
Staff Reports | Digital Free Press
St. Vincent de Paul invites the community to join its Summer Pantry Challenge running until July 31, as part of the 100 Days of Summer campaign, aiming to support the preparation of 7,000 hot meals daily in downtown Phoenix.
The challenge invites participants to organize a non-perishable food drive, creating a construction with canned goods or some other inventive display with the collected items, and nominating 2-3 more people or groups to take on the challenge.
Sharing and nominating via social media is encouraged with the use of the hashtag #SVdPPantryChallenge.
For those less inclined to participate in the challenge, SVdP also has a matching gift opportunity in support of its food mission thanks to The Locasto Family Foundation, which will match all gifts to the 100 Days of Summer campaign throughout the month of July up to $25,000.
The Summer Pantry Challenge and the matching gift opportunity come just as SVdP’s 100 Days of Summer campaign turns its focus to addressing summer food insecurity during the month of July.
“St. Vincent de Paul is committed to providing hot meals on a large scale,” said Adam Young, SVdP’s director of food services. “However, we can’t achieve this alone. We urge our community to join our Summer Pantry Challenge or simply make a gift to help SVdP feed neighbors in need and raise awareness about the critical importance of food security. This is each person’s chance to make a difference and have some summer fun all at the same time.”
During the summer, SVdP sees a surge in food demand as families struggle to feed children out of school and manage higher utility bills. Meanwhile, donations drop as people leave on vacation or relocate, making food an urgent necessity for the nonprofit.
“Every summer, the need for food support is critical for our neighbors experiencing homelessness and families struggling to put food on the table,” Mr. Young said. “Don’t wait for the holidays. Now is the time to help.”
