Parishioners of St. Augustine Church and Holy Trinity Church prayed as a group before assembling Thanksgiving food bags at St. Augustine Church on Nov. 18. (Record Photo by Olivia Castlen) 
Parishioners of St. Augustine Church and Holy Trinity Church assembled Thanksgiving food bags at St. Augustine Church on Nov. 18. (Record Photo by Olivia Castlen) 
Parishioners of St. Augustine Church and Holy Trinity Church assembled Thanksgiving food bags at St. Augustine on Nov. 18. (Record Photo by Olivia Castlen) 
Boxes of donated cake mix are pictured at St. Augustine Church on Nov. 18. (Record Photo by Olivia Castlen) 
Carl Hulsewede, a parishioner of Holy Trinity Church, organized donations at St. Augustine Church on Nov. 18. (Record Photo by Olivia Castlen) 
Sara Striegel, left, and Paul Pendell, parishioners of Holy Trinity Church, organized food donations at St. Augustine Church on Nov. 18. (Record Photo by Olivia Castlen) 
Parishioners of St. Augustine Church and Holy Trinity Church assembled Thanksgiving food bags at St. Augustine Church on Nov. 18. (Record Photo by Olivia Castlen) 
Joyce Frazier, a parishioner of St. Augustine Church, organized food donations at St. Augustine on Nov. 18. (Record Photo by Olivia Castlen) 
Parishioners of St. Augustine Church and Holy Trinity Church assembled Thanksgiving food bags at St. Augustine Church on Nov. 18. (Record Photo by Olivia Castlen) 
Parishioners of St. Augustine Church and Holy Trinity Church prayed as a group before assembling Thanksgiving food bags at St. Augustine Church on Nov. 18. (Record Photo by Olivia Castlen)
Parishioners of St. Augustine and Holy Trinity churches worked amid mounds of cake mixes, boxes of macaroni and cheese and cans of cranberry sauce at St. Augustine Nov. 18 as they assembled Thanksgiving food bags for local families in need.
The annual collaboration between two parish ministries — St. Augustine’s Social Concerns Ministry and Holy Trinity’s Society of St. Vincent de Paul Conference — will enable 150 families, ranging from two people to 10 people, to sit down to a Thanksgiving meal this year.
The assembled food bags contain traditional Thanksgiving items, such as green beans, corn, stuffing and yams, donated by Holy Trinity.
Low-income families signed up to receive the bags through St. Augustine Church earlier this fall. The bags, which families were picking up on Nov. 24, also contain a frozen turkey and fresh produce.
“It’s something that I like to do, and it’s something that needs to be done.”
— Joyce Frazier, parishioner of St. Augustine Church
Several volunteers who helped assemble the food bags noted that the Thanksgiving ministry project is especially vital this year amid rising food costs and increased need seen at local food pantries.
“With the economy and food prices now, it’s a lot harder for people who didn’t have much to begin with,” said Carl Hulsewede, a parishioner of Holy Trinity, in an interview at the assembly event.
Holy Trinity parishioner Sara Striegel said, “There are a lot of people in need right now,” noting the rising food prices.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to be able to bring some goods for people for Thanksgiving and to see all the items that our church donates. The people are so willing to give so much,” she said.
Other volunteers noted that the ministry helps address the critical need for food, which might otherwise go unmet.
“People need to eat,” said Paul Pendell, a Holy Trinity parishioner. If the churches don’t step up, “who else is going to do it?”
For Joyce Frazier, a St. Augustine parishioner, the reason why she continues to volunteer year after year is simple: “It’s something that I like to do, and it’s something that needs to be done.”
