On a radiant fall afternoon as a cadre of Poor Handmaid volunteers packed groceries for delivery to those in need at two Plymouth motels, volunteer Sister Marlene Ann Lama contemplated those that the food will nourish. “We learn to see God in the eyes of others. Jesus said, ‘When you feed the hungry, you feed me,’” she said. “It’s enhanced my spirituality.”
The Poor Handmaid Volunteer Program, a part of the Catholic Volunteer Network, began nine years ago, according to program director Sister Connie Bach, PHJC. It is open to all women and men who are discerning a life of service. The food ministry began three years ago following the return of a contingent of volunteers serving at the U.S.-Mexico border who desired to make a difference at home. “We aim to be a catalyst for just transformation in the communities where we find ourselves,” Sister Connie explained.
Currently, the food program serves about 145 people twice a week with groceries, sack lunches, hygiene bags, rental assistance, and the kindness of those who volunteer. “We couldn’t run this program without the many people who contribute their time and energy and generosity,” Sister Connie said. “Our Sisters, Associates, and Maria Center residents are always here making the sandwiches, packing the groceries, and we couldn’t sustain this effort without them. Even more so, the prayers for the people we serve are quite impactful. Saint Katharina’s intercession has helped many people in finding jobs, getting well when they’re sick, and in knowing that people care and that they matter,” she added. “They’re turning their lives around.”
In June 2023, Angela Harris, a Navy veteran who hails from Norfolk, Virginia, joined the Poor Handmaids’ community for a year of dedicated service. “She’s an incredible volunteer,” said Sister Connie of Angie. “She’s running the food program. She takes care of the grocery shopping, tracks expenses, and sets up so that when the volunteers arrive, they can jump right in,” Sister Connie added.
Out of the many volunteer opportunities on Catholic Volunteer Network, Angie chose the Poor Handmaids because of her alignment with their core values. “I would like to say that I was listening to the Spirit. Openness to the Spirit is one of the Poor Handmaid’s core values,” she said. “There’s a scripture passage that says, ‘what does God require and that’s justice, mercy, and to walk humbly,’” Angie noted.
She readily sees the impact of the core values in the ministry the PHJC Volunteer Program provides. “I think of the children, to be able to have a meal. They go to school, and they can concentrate. It has been proven that if a child goes to school on an empty stomach, their mind is not on school,” Angie stated.
Angie also delights in the success of former Economy Inn resident Mama Mo, who recently moved into her own place, and joined the PHJC Volunteers to deliver Thanksgiving meals at the motel where she formerly resided. “The food ministry was there for her and now she’s in her own place,” Angie said.
Marian University of Ancilla College student and men’s basketball team member Tyshawn Grundy initially volunteered with the food ministry as a class assignment. He now returns to pack groceries and load the vehicle for delivery. “I like the good deed that we’re doing so I decided to continue in this opportunity,” he said. “I’ve learned other people’s life stories and learned how we all got to be in this exact spot and this exact time from different places in the world,” Tyshawn profoundly noted.
