For years now, Blessed Trinity has generously collected food for those in our parish who find themselves in need. In 2001, we expanded our food collection as a part of our tradition of Advent giving, and as a response to a marked increase in the needs of families in our local area. Our Catholic Charities Semoran Food Pantry just north of us, on Semoran Blvd., also found their supplies dwindling and were in dire need of food for people living in this area.

Bishop Dorsey asked parishes in the Diocese to make efforts to increase their donations of food, or to begin to collect food if they were not already doing so, and especially to consider collecting food for Catholic Charities' food pantry.

Many parishes and schools do food drives but those donations are sporadic, while the need is constant. In the month of July, 2002, Orlando's Catholic Charities' Pantry distributed over 2.7 tons of food to more than 400 families.

Families have many different crises and most have small children to feed. Many are the "working poor" who are one medical bill or lay off away from uncertainty. The consistency of Blessed Trinity's donations allows the pantry to use their budget to provide some meat, milk, and holiday items to people they serve.

From the very beginning Christians have brought, along with the bread and wine for the Eucharist, gifts to share with those in need. This custom of the collection, ever appropriate, is inspired by the example of Christ "who became poor to make us rich."
Catechism of the Catholic Church.

 

In early liturgies, the "Offertory was a procession with the Eucharistic elements of bread and wine themselves . . . and in the West the laity made their offerings for themselves at the chancel rail at the beginning of the Eucharist Proper. Each man and woman came forward to lay their own offerings of bread in a linen cloth or a silver dish held by a deacon, and to pour their own flasks of wine into a great two-handled silver cup . . . held by another deacon. When the laity brought their offerings, each person brought their gift, and the deacon received them and placed them on the altar."

The Shape of the Liturgy ~ Gregory Dix

 

	Other gifts accompanied the bread and wine. "Other foodstuffs and other articles were also offered, especially those that might be of use for the divine service, like oil, wax, candles, church implements; and a part of these gifts was used for charity."
	The Early Liturgy ~ Joseph Jungmann

 

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The following list of items for Semoran Pantry are the food items the pantry needs most:

Staples:	·      18 oz. jars of peanut butter   ·      Soup   ·      Spaghetti sauce in cans   ·      Tuna fish   ·      Pudding   ·      Pasta in a can ·      Canned vegetables   ·      Jelly   ·      1# boxes of spaghetti (not macaroni)   ·      Canned fruits Jell-O   ·      Plastic bags of rice ·      Pork and beans   ·      Tomato sauce   ·      Any dry or canned beans   ·      Canned meat/beef stew   ·      Soap   ·      Toilet paper; single wrapped rolls ·      Children's juice boxes   ·      Stage 1 & 2 baby food ·      Size 3 & 4 diapers   ·      Sans of evaporated milk ·      Boxes of macaroni and cheese   ·      Boxes of powdered milk in envelopes (1 quart per envelope) ·      Yams   ·      Canned vegetables and fruit   ·      Cranberry   ·      Jell-O and pudding ·      Jiffy cornbread and muffin mix   ·      Pumpkin pie filling   ·      Panned vegetables
For the Children:	·      Children's juice boxes   ·      Stage 1 & 2 baby food ·      Size 3 & 4 diapers   ·      Sans of evaporated milk ·      Boxes of macaroni and cheese   ·      Boxes of powdered milk in envelopes (1 quart per envelope)
Thanksgiving/Christmas Holiday Foods (must collect in October and early November):	·      Yams   ·      Canned vegetables and fruit   ·      Cranberry   ·      Jell-O and pudding ·      Jiffy cornbread and muffin mix   ·      Pumpkin pie filling   ·      Panned vegetables