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This article is part of a series about Mercy Fund for Ministry grant recipients and how their funded work lives out Mercy’s Critical Concerns and the Works of Mercy.
The Catherine McAuley Center Food Pantry in Scranton, Pennsylvania, provides fresh and shelf-stable foods and hygiene essentials to residents in need, including those without homes. The food pantry also serves as an entry point to community services and a meeting place for a wonderfully diverse group of Latina/Hispanic, Bhutanese, African American and white residents.
Case workers at the pantry assist guests in picking their food, making sure they have a variety of produce and fresh or frozen fruits and meats for their families each week. It also provides hygiene products, such as soap, first aid essentials, shampoo and menstrual products, which are often not found at other pantries.
Guests who need additional services, such as rental assistance, utility assistance or even maternal/family support, are referred to partner organizations or the Catherine McAuley Center for more services.
The pantry also serves as a food source for families who are entering shelter or transitional housing and provides communal kitchens where guests can cook their own meals, creating stability, autonomy for food preference and comradery among residents.
Click here to learn more about the Catherine McAuley Center Food Pantry.