More than a hundred parishes in the Archdiocese of Washington are helping local food banks that are struggling to keep up with increasing demand for their sevices.

Jessica Forres reports.......



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It's Sunday mass at the Cathedral of St. Mathew the Apostle in Northwest DC...

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Parishoners like Francisco Jojion are being asked to take brown paper bags as they leave so they can fill them with the food items that correspond to the first letter of their last name....

IT LOOKS LIKE PASTA AND SAUSAGE FOR J'S.

And for Agatha Gilles, it's 1-hundred percent Juices…

EVERYBODY TENDS TO GET EXCITED AND DO EVERYTHING FOR CHRISTMAS AND WHEN CHRISTMAS IS OVER, THE HUNGRY DOESN'T STOP. THE HUNGER IS STILL THERE.

Susan Gibbs with the Archdiocese of Washington says the "Epiphany Food Drive" will generate more than 60-thousand bags for the Capital Area and Southern Maryland Food banks and 60 parish-based food pantries....

SOME OF THEM ARE REPORTING AS MUCH AS A 40 PERCENT INCREASE IN DEMAND, THERE ARE PEOPLE MORE THAN A YEAR AGO WHO WERE DONATING TO THE PANTRIES ARE NOW COMING TO GET FOOD AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE REALLY NEVER SEEN BEFORE AND WE ARE REALLY WORRIED.

1-hundred and twenty parishes will start collecting the bags during the first two weekends in January.

Jessica Forres WAMU 885 News

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The Archdiocese of Washington is among the organizations that are helping food banks and pantries cope with an increasing demand for their services.

Jessica Forres reports….

More than a hundred parishes are giving the gift of food this holiday season. Susan Gibbs with the Archdiocese of Washington expects 60-thousand bags of food to be donated for the benefit of the Capital Area and Southern Maryland food banks and 60 parish-based food pantries...

THE FOOD PANTIRES ARE EMPTY, WE HAVE PARISHES WITH A 40 PERCENT INCREASE IN DEMAND FOR FOOD AND THEY NEED HELP. THE FOOD PARISHES ARE SEEING THEY'RE SHELVES ARE EMPTY.

Francisco Janjion, a parishoner at the Cathedral of St. Mathew the Apostle, plans to donate pasta and sauces...
I THINK IT'S A GOOD THING TO HELP THE PEOPLE WHO CAN'T FEED THEMSELVES DURING THIS COLD TIME OF YEAR.

Participating parishes will collect the food during the first two weekends of January.


Jessica Forres WAMU 885 News