News

PADS Ministry: Feeding the Hungry, Looking for Help

Dear OLW Community,

Normally at this time of year, we would be opening the OLW PADS site for the new season.  However, as you are well aware, these times are far from “normal” and have had a significant impact on the PADS program.

The Journeys staff has been working diligently to provide shelter for guests since March when the season was abruptly halted and all sites had to close.   They have done an amazing job – and have managed these unchartered waters with great patience, perseverance and success!  When the shelter-in-place order went into effect, they secured rooms at two local hotels that have been “home” to nearly 100 guests for the past six months.   Through generous donations from area faith communities, individuals and the government, fortunately they have the financial means to continue housing guests at hotels through December.

Our role, as well as that of most of the other 17 PADS sites, has been to help provide meals to these guests – 3 meals a day, 7 days a week!   While certainly not an easy task, once again credit goes to Journeys for leading the charge and organizing an army of volunteers to take on this challenge.   Through the generosity of dozens of parishioners and friends, our site was able to raise $11,000, which we in turn used to purchase meals from local restaurants.  From April through July, we provided nearly 1,500 meals!    We could not have done this without the help of dozens of teens who selflessly donned masks and gloves and delivered the meals to guests!

For the foreseeable future, the OLW PADS site will be closed.  However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t opportunities to help.  In fact, now more than ever, your help is needed!   Journeys will be relying on their site partners to continue providing meals to all the guests.   Here are the ways in which you can help:

1. Make a monetary donation to be used for purchasing meals and perishable food items.  Contact Molly Wolfe at mollywolfe113@gmail.com to donate.
2. Donate non-perishable food items for breakfast/lunch meal kits. Each meal kit will include a week’s worth of breakfast and lunch items for 2 people. These will be delivered to guests on Monday mornings.
3. Help with delivery of meals to the hotels (cannot be over age 45)

If you are interested in helping this season, please go to this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0D4DAEAE28AB9-olwpads3

As always, thank you for your continued support of PADS. Our hope is that eventually we will be able to resume the traditional OLW PADS ministry that has served so many people who have faced homelessness during the past 25 years.   In the meantime, we pray that you and your loved ones continue to stay healthy!

Nancy Lynk & Molly Wolfe
OLW PADS Site Directors