by Katie Patrick
On a swelteringly hot day in August, dozens of Knights and their families rallied around Mike Hosek, a member of St. Patrick Parish in Lincoln, as he led the fourth annual “Walk to End Hunger” event. What began in 2021 as a community engagement initiative through his employer, Better Life Insurance Agency, continues today under its sponsorship and the volunteer leadership of Mike and the Knights of Columbus.
This friendly summer competition among the different Lincoln Knights Councils raised more than 30,000 pounds of food in either food items donated or cash donated to the CSS Lincoln Food Market. It was an influx of food that we desperately needed.
Summers at the Food Market are unique because on the supply side we see a lull in donations with summer vacations, etc., but often the demand increases because, in many households with children, the children are home from school for the summer. This means families can’t rely on the free and reduced lunch program and—depending on the school— breakfast, too.
Julia, a single mother of three children (ages 6, 3 and 8 months), was struggling financially because she was not able to work, having lost her job to care for her son, who was born prematurely. Her son had been in the hospital for two months with serious health problems related to his premature birth. He had a tracheotomy and was in a life-threatening situation.
In addition to needing to be at the hospital with her child, she needed to be trained to properly care for him at home. Juila was receiving only $40 for child support and $700 for food stamps each month. She applied to receive disability benefits for her son, but knew that it would take time to be approved.
Thankfully, the hospital staff referred Julia to Catholic Social Services where, in addition to helping her access our client choice Food Market, we were able to alleviate some of her stress by helping pay for two months of rent. This prevented her family from becoming homeless and helped keep her electricity, which was essential for her son’s special needs.
Yet another story of a family helped by our food market is that of George. He and his family fled a war-torn country and arrived in Nebraska late in the night. They had little to almost nothing, but then a neighbor told them about CSS. After getting in touch with our staff the next morning, we were able to provide them food, gift cards, and clothing from our St. Louise Gift & Thrift store, among other things. That help continued for the next few months until they got on their feet. A little help goes a long way, as this family has now become more independent and even produces their own products to sell for additional income.
These stories highlight the critical role CSS plays in transforming lives. However, as you just read, the work of CSS extends beyond the walls of our organization. It relies on a network of compassionate and informed individuals, like you, who can share the message of our services. By talking to family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, acquaintances, and even strangers, we can ensure that those in need are aware of the resources available to them.
When you encounter someone struggling, remember that a referral to CSS could make a world of difference. You could be the key to connecting someone with the help they desperately need. Please take a few moments to visit our website at csshope.org to learn more about all that CSS provides to communities across southern Nebraska. May God bless you!
