Day of Service at the SSJ Neighborhood Center, from left S. Bonnie McMenamin, SSJ, Domenica Rosati, Denise Rudolph, Dolores Mozzillo, Cheryl Judge, Anna Callaghan, Father Jon, and Abigail Walsh.
It was hot—Wednesday, June 18, in Camden reached 86 degrees, but it felt closer to 100! As part of our annual summer tradition, the CTK clergy and staff stepped away from their desks to serve together at a local food pantry. Given our ongoing partnership with the Sisters of Saint Joseph Neighborhood Center in the Cramer Hill section of Camden, it was a natural fit for our day of service.
Just as parishioners often carpool and serve side by side at the Center, our team found that working together in this setting deepened our sense of community, and strengthened the bonds that fuel our mission back at the parish.
Our Business Manager, Anna Callaghan, reflected honestly about the day, “Not being familiar with Camden, I was a little apprehensive about serving in the city. But that quickly disappeared. The other volunteers, the neighbors, and the Sisters were all so welcoming. The center was clean, well-run, and full of joy. My family and I are blessed, and this gave me another way to serve God by serving others.”
Since the start of our partnership in fall 2024, the Center has welcomed over 55 new CTK volunteers and received numerous donations; however, the need continues to grow. S. Bonnie, SSJ, shared that a decline in donations to larger food banks is now directly impacting smaller agencies, such as the SSJNC and the Cherry Hill Food Pantry. According to the Food Bank of South Jersey, “the loss of USDA-funded food accounts for 200,000 pounds of food, 284,000 pounds of NJ-grown produce, and a 75% reduction in food from the Commodity Credit Corporation.”
Despite these challenges,
S. Bonnie expressed deep gratitude for our parish’s Meals-to-Go program, organized by CTK’s Hospitality Ministry. The frozen meals are a tremendous help, easing the strain from lost federal resources.
We thank you for the 160 meals you’ve provided since October 2024, as well as the 40 meals supplied by the Blaze and Project Serve ministries—and for the t-shirts donated to repurpose into reusable grocery bags. Every effort makes a difference.
Visit the SSJNC page on our website for meal donation signup. L and XL t-shirts can be dropped off to the office. Contact Cheryl Judge for more information.