GREENSBORO — When many doors closed in March to stop the spread of COVID-19, St. Pius X parishioners opened their hearts instead. Despite the pandemic, people wanted to find ways to keep helping others – especially since maternity homes, food banks and other social service agencies could no longer use volunteers in the same way they had been.
“For the safety of our clients, we cannot allow volunteers to do what they normally do,” says Marianne Donadio, development director for Room At The Inn maternity home in Greensboro, referring to the many ways volunteers helped before COVID-19 by sorting clothing and hosting on-site baby showers. “It’s hard on us to not have that help and hard on volunteers not to be able to have something to do.”
So supporters have turned to donating essential items, especially food, to support local pro-life outreach efforts.
St. Pius X parishioner Jim Furman is among them, helping to organize a food delivery program for Room At The Inn with a team of volunteers from the local Ancient Order of Hibernians.
Furman found inspiration after attending a Respect Life Open House earlier this year hosted by the St. Pius X Purple Hat Ministry. The Ancient Order of Hibernians have a heart for service and were recently awarded the Chieftains of Charity Award honoring their commitment to local charities.
Furman and Donadio both attended the “Walking with Moms in Need” themed open house at St. Pius X back in January. The event was held in response to the U.S. bishops’ call for a nationwide pro-life year of service from March 25, 2020, to March 25, 2021, entitled: “Walking with Moms in Need: A Year of Service,” to mark the 25th anniversary of “Evangelium vitae” (“The Gospel of Life”).
At the start of the effort, things were uncertain because of COVID-19. But now, “with 14 pick-ups, five days a week, it’s something substantial our group can do,” says Furman, the Catholic Action Chairman of the AOH division.
The food donations are organized by Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina and the maternity home receives a variety of feasts weekly. Papa John’s pizza on Fridays,
Kentucky Fried Chicken, Chipotle, Sheetz sandwiches; and gallons of milk, yogurt and bread from Greensboro Day School.
“I absolutely love giving away food to people who need it,” says Furman. “And Room At The Inn is that place. They depend on it, and so do we.”
Furman has not only recruited his fellow Hibernians, but is sharing this time in Christ with his newly confirmed grandson, Bobby Lamothe, who recently joined the Knights of Columbus as well.
Lamothe and his fellow Knights help Furman’s AOH team keep the program running five days a week – a real joint effort for life, he says. Even though there is little contact with the staff during the food drop-offs because of COVID-19 health protocols in place, there is much gratitude.
“Everything is appreciated,” says Room At The Inn staff member and previous client, Tiffany Herbin.
“There’s just such a need,” notes St. Pius X parishioner Martha Harvey, who “walks with moms in need” at The Pregnancy Network, formerly called Greensboro Pregnancy Care Center. “Our hope is to bring Christ into their lives,” referring to the center’s “Connect” Mentorship Program designed to match mentors with moms needing spiritual and emotional support during their pregnancy.
“Even just a phone call with your mentee, just knowing someone cares enough to check up on you, has an impact,” she says.
The various joint efforts to help others, despite the pandemic, all point to people’s shared love for pro-life service, participants say.
“It’s really nice when everyone works together,” says Donadio, who recently received a referral from The Pregnancy Network for a mother in desperate need of a place to stay. To be able to connect an abortion-vulnerable pregnant mother to the right resources, to support and accompany her in choosing life for her unborn child, is really the work of the Holy Spirit, she emphasizes.
“And everyone does their piece of the puzzle.”
— Georgianna Penn, Correspondent
Pictured: Room At The Inn staff member, Tiffany Herbin, and Jim Furman delivered about 15 pounds of cooked, ready-to-eat ground beef and rice from Chipotle.Charlie Connolly delivered Sheetz pastries and KFC chicken and biscuits. Hibernian Mike Wachter and his wife Pat delivered bread from Harris Teeter to help support Room At The Inn in Greensboro. The AOH is among members of the St. Pius X Parish community finding ways to “walk with moms in need,” part of the U.S. bishops’ call for a year of pro-life service nationwide to mark the 25th anniversary year of “Evangelium vitae” (“The Gospel of Life”). (Georgianna Penn | Catholic News Herald)