As the costs of groceries, utilities, and housing continue to rise, families across New York are feeling the strain of these uncertain times.
But on the morning of October 17, St. Philip Neri Church in the Bronx — with the help of Catholic Charities of New York — offered vulnerable New Yorkers a moment of relief through a special pop-up food pantry. The distribution provided hundreds of people with nutritious foods, fresh fruits, and other essentials to keep local families nourished, energized, and hopeful into the approaching colder months.
St. Philip Neri Church, nestled in the Bedford Park neighborhood of the Bronx, has hosted several food distributions before. But in recent months, the need has become more urgent than ever.
From Receiving Help to Lending a Hand
“It’s my community, and I know there are a lot of people that really need food,” said Eloise Goolsby, a volunteer distributing food at the pop-up pantry.
Goolsby, a retired grandmother of three, regularly volunteers with St. Philip Neri Church as a way of giving back to her church and Catholic Charities — organizations that have supported her and her family during difficult times. She has lived in the community for over 40 years. “I like giving back because I’ve been blessed to get help,” she shared.
Over the years, Goolsby has volunteered at several locations, but St. Philip Neri Church holds a special place in her heart. When her daughters — now 44 and 34 — were children, she brought them to the church to volunteer alongside her.
Now, as Goolsby hands out fresh food to a lively line of neighbors, her love and appreciation for service are as strong as ever. She brings a unique perspective, as she has both volunteered with and received help from St. Philip Neri Church and Catholic Charities.
Once a recipient of the pantry herself, Goolsby now volunteers with the same program that once supported her family. The food she used to receive helped her make ends meet and provided stability during difficult times — an experience that now fuels her desire to give back. Today, she stands on the other side of the table, handing out nutritious food to her neighbors and helping ensure that other families have what they need.
“I enjoy volunteering here. It’s very heartwarming and I’m always happy to share with my neighbors because that’s what I enjoy,” she said.
A Lifeline for the Community
Pop-up food drives like this one are made possible through Catholic Charities’ Feeding Our Neighbors program, which supports more than 35 food pantries across New York.
“We have standardized pantry hours based on where we’re located that run anywhere between Monday through Sunday,” said Lakisha Morris, Director of Food and Housing Stability at Catholic Charities Community Services.
“Catholic Charities, in addressing the food prices we’re seeing in New York City, is also providing pop-up distributions where we assess communities that do not have viable — or enough resources — to provide for neighbors in need,” she said.
But it doesn’t stop at food. Catholic Charities also provides a wide range of services — including rent and utility assistance, job support, and after-school programs — ensuring that New Yorkers have access to comprehensive resources for long-term stability.
“We’ve learned that each community is different,” Morris said. “It’s different in terms of the population, and their actual needs. One of the things we’re doing is really catering to the community. For instance, if one parish is in a community where there’s a heavy Asian population, the foods we provide cater to that population.”
“It’s not just providing food anymore. It’s providing what you need — what the household needs. We’re giving you choices,” she shared. This thoughtful approach has had a measurable impact. “We’re hearing, ‘Thank you for considering me,’” Morris said.
Still, Catholic Charities continues to face challenges in meeting the rising demand for food assistance.
“We thought that once COVID passed, we’d go back to the norm — of people needing food access. But not in the droves we’re seeing today,” Morris said.
She attributed the demand to inflation, income gaps, and changes to SNAP benefits — factors leaving more families reliant on food pantries and pop-ups like the one hosted by St. Philip Neri Church.
Yet these challenges only strength Morris’ and Catholic Charities’ resolve.
“We’re advocating. Everyone that will listen to us, anyone that we can speak to, we talk about the need for more food resources,” Morris shared. “We’ve been fortunate thus far, because of our advocacy work, telling stories and being in the community, people are recognizing this issue and providing support — whether it’s monetary or volunteering.”
“People are always going to need food. It’s the one thing that everybody needs,” Morris said. “We’re not going anywhere and we’re going to continue to fight for it.”
Faith in Action at St. Philip Neri Church
Roenice Gonzalez knows St. Philip Neri Church well. Having worked at the church for over 20 years, she’s seen countless food distributions take place. Now, as the church’s Executive Director, she oversees these food distribution efforts.
“The distributions are special because we get to see a lot of our community members we see at Mass week to week. But at these giveaways, we get to truly see the need in our community,” Gonzalez said.
“The line started at 5 a.m. — and by 7 a.m., it was past the D train station, past the school. At its height, it was wrapping around 204th Street and down Villa Avenue,” she said, “which is the largest number and earliest we’ve seen this type of line.”
Despite the demand, St. Philip Neri Church and Catholic Charities were prepared.
Gonzalez had recruited several volunteers in advance through Catholic Charities, ensuring that the setup ran smoothly and efficiently once the door opens. The well-organized system allows for a steady flow of participants while giving volunteers time to rest between shifts. The food offering typically includes proteins like chicken, grains fruits, vegetables, dairy, and eggs — all fresh and eagerly received by the community.
For Gonzalez, who grew up in the neighborhood, these events are more than logistics — they are acts of faith and compassion that feed both body and spirit.
“There’s a lot of older people in the community. It’s always heartwarming to see them still around,” she shared. “I want to make sure they’re taking home groceries and that they’re getting taken care of — and that they’re seeing a familiar face.”
“We are forever grateful to offer this, for the different donors that make this possible. This is my home community. I see the need day in and day out, and without them, a lot of people would go hungry,” Gonzalez said.
Living the Gospel through Service
The gratitude doesn’t end with Roenice Gonzalez.
“Your donations, no matter how small, make a difference and often bring beautiful smiles to long faces,” said Fr. Daniel O’Reilly from St. Philip Neri Church. Fr. O’Reilly, who has led the parish since July 2022, was raised in the Bronx himself and understands firsthand the challenges his neighbors face.
“In the last few years, demand seems to have increased due to rising prices, but also because of a greater recognition of healthy diets serving as a protection against illness in a post-pandemic world,” he said.
He reflected on the church’s deep roots and enduring mission. Founded in 1898 to serve a largely Italian American community, St. Philip Neri Church now serves a richly diverse neighborhood of working-class families — many of whom rely on its support.
“Jesus said that He came ‘to serve’ and not ‘to be served,’ so as a priest, serving others is part of our mission. It’s said that the reason priests came to be called ‘Father’ is because of the history of the Church and its priests serving the poor and orphans,” he shared.
For Fr. O’Reilly, the work of feeding families is about more than food. It’s about fostering hope, dignity, and community.
“It’s a great reminder of generosity in a world that’s seemingly become ‘I’ centered, not just iPhones and iPads, but a spirit of looking out for the self at the expense of the other,” he said. “Loving God mandates loving your neighbor.”
And it’s all made possible through the compassion and dedication of Catholic Charities, staff, volunteers, donors and community members — people united by the belief that showing up for one another changes lives.
“Jesus said that we will always have the poor with us (Mt 26:11). Whether we are feeding our neighbors here in the Bronx or our brothers and sisters in faraway places, we will always seek ways to remedy whatever challenges people may be suffering,” shared Fr. O’Reilly.
We count on your support to make services like this possible. You can provide help and create hope. Make a generous, tax-deductible gift today.
