Street ministry with Sisters Poor of Jesus Christ and Volunteers from Catholic Parishes

Organized and spearheaded by the sisters Poor of Jesus Christ, ‘Street Ministry’ to feed and support the poor and homeless in the downtown Hamilton community has been in operation since 2017.

Since then, parishioners from several parishes like St. Stanislaus Kostka (Hamilton), St. Margaret Mary, St. Ann’s-Hamilton and Regina Mundi, joined forces to sponsor required food for one Thursday per month.

Through the generosity and hospitality of St. Stanislaw Kostka parish, each Thursday, the sisters and volunteers get together at the parish hall to make ham, cheese, lettuce and tomato sandwiches. The sandwiches then go into clear bags packed with water, juice, chips, cookies, granola bar, serviette and fruit.

St. Stanislaw Kostka church sponsors third Thursday of each month. We receive private donations from parishioners and trough donation box in our church marked ‘offering for the poor’. We make 120 bags (little less in the winter months: 80-100). The average cost of food is about $200. We are grateful for monthly donations of bread from Cobs bread in Dundas, ham from Supper Sausage in Hamilton, brownies from Aspire bakery in Ancaster, lettuce and tomato from FD Fiddes Wholesale in West Hamilton and cookies from Voortman’s Bakery in Burlington.

We are blessed with many volunteers from our parish and other parishes that offer helping hands each Thursday.

Together we pray, to ask our Lord for his presence, and to use us as his instruments of peace, kindness and compassion, to open our eyes to the needs of others and to give us heart that is ready to serve and uplift those who cross our path.

With the generosity of volunteers and parishioners, donated clothing, hats, mittens, scarves and blankets (especially in the winter months) are a welcome necessity on the streets.

All food and clothing are pack into wagons, put on the truck and driven to downtown Hamilton. Volunteers walk the streets in rain, shine, snow and cold, to distribute food, prayers and compassion to the needy, our friends in Christ. Together we make a difference.

By Teresa Woloch (St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish Volunteer, Hamilton, Ontario)