When members of the Catholic parishes in Butler began writing their campaign case for support, they knew their buildings needed repairs. But they wanted to focus on people more than places.
So they looked beyond their parish walls and into the faces of the needy.
Through Our Campaign for The Church Alive!, parishioners at St. Peter, St. Paul and St. Michael the Archangel parishesprovided grants tothe Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Butler, Meals on Wheels, Connecting2Tomorrow, Inc., Butler County Emergency Relief Initiative, Community Health Clinic of Butler County, as well as to the Chimbote Mission and for Catholic education.
A member of St. Paul Parish, John Gibson volunteers at St. Vincent de Paul’s food bank.
“Four years ago, we served about 1,500 individuals a month,” Gibson said. “Today, with more folks living paycheck to paycheck or looking for work, we’re helping twice as many people.”
According to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, which helps supply St. Vincent de Paul’s warehouse, nearly 21,000 residents in Butler County are “food insecure,” or at risk of being hungry, including more than 7,000 children.
“We’re seeinga lot of new people who’ve run into hard times. They’ve lost their job or get sick and have to take time off from work,” Gibson said. “Some are on fixed incomes. There’s not enough money to buy groceries.”
Father Harry Bielewicz, pastor of the three parishes, saw an opportunity to reach out to those in need.
“Every day we see a reminder of who our neighbors are,” Father Bielewicz said. “The Lord said, ‘how are you feeding the people around you?’ The campaign allows us to do a little more, to realize that we can help others.”
Mary Pataky at Butler Meals on Wheels is grateful for funds that allowed them to replace an old freezer.
“We serve meals and sandwiches to about 120 people each day,” Pataky said. “This grant was so wonderful.”
Mike Liebler is founder and executive director of Connecting2Tomorrow, a non-profit job mentoring program for young people.
“We teach life skills to help prepare students for college, trade schools and the work force,” Liebler said. “They learn how to write a resume, do an interview and how to be a good employee, as well as managing their finances, etiquette, and important values such as respect.”
Campaign donations are helping to pay for career readiness kits, which include items like uniforms, equipment and job clearances.
“We are doing God’s work, helping the less fortunate and really living our faith,” said Fred Vero, who chairs the Local and World Community Programs at the Butler parishes. “Father Harry already took care of the building projects. These funds help make people’s lives a little bit better.”
Frank Pinto leads the parishes’ committee for Scholarships for Catholic Education.
“We were able to assist 22 families so their children can attend Butler Catholic School and Catholic high schools in the area,” Pinto said. “Parishioners should know that their donations directly strengthen the core beliefs of our Catholic faith.”
The teams will gather again in January to consider the next round of agency grants.
“Helping others is such a good feeling,” Gibson said. “I’ve seen parents at our food bank desperately in need, watching their grocery cart being filled, and tears start to run down their cheeks. You know you’ve truly helped someone.”
