The OLG Hand ‘n’ Hand Ministry attends to the spiritual and physical needs of those in our midst who are less fortunate than ourselves by collecting and distributing food items, clothing, and other goods. Contact Person: Eileen O’Brien (310) 316-0543
Frequently Asked Questions About Hand n Hand
When and where is the Food Drive? It is the third Sunday of each month, twelve months a year, and it is held in the Parish Hall.
Who receives this food? Parishioners registered for at least three months who are in need of food may make a request to the parish office. A member of the pastoral staff will call or visit them to see how / if we will be able to help them. We focus on children (infants up to age 13), senior citizens (ages 60 and over), and disabled people, although most recently our new recipients have been those who just lost their jobs. We currently serve 19 families with 74 recipients.
How do you run a Food Drive? Parishioners donate non-perishable food. (We also get special assistance from the Post Office Food Drive every May.) Any money donated is used to purchase additional groceries. We also have people who purchase milk, tortillas, and fruits and vegetables the morning of the Food drive. The food is sorted and bagged. Families pick up their groceries from 9:30 – 10:30 AM. Deliveries are made to the homebound.
How can I help? You can help by donating cash, checks (made out to Hand and Hand), grocery scrip, and non-perishable food. You can also help by donating your time to sort, bag, and deliver the food. Just come to the parish hall on Food Drive Sundays. There are no meetings to attend; just come and serve. We are happy to provide sheets documenting service hours for parents, Girl Scouts, Confirmation Program, etc.
What food do you need most? We always need protein. Examples include: beans (pinto beans, black beans, cannellini beans, kidney beans, and garbanzo beans), soup (chicken noodle soup, split pea soup, lentil soup, and chicken rice soup), stew, chili, peanut butter, and canned meat (tuna, chicken, turkey, roast beef). We also collect toiletries, especially toilet paper, toothpaste, laundry detergent, and shampoo.
Do you do anything special for Thanksgiving and Christmas? Yes, we have parishioner groups or families, including the grade school, sponsor our recipient families and bring food for the recipient families. They can either bring food for a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, or bring a variety of food.
Whom should I call for more information? If you are in need of food, please call the parish office at (310) 372-7077 . If you have any other questions about the food drive, please call Eileen O’Brien at (310) 316-0543.