Catholic Charities food pantry coordinator Norma Roche rolls a cart loaded with food for safe pick-up by a client at the Beacon of Hope Center at Galveston’s Island Community Center.
GALVESTON – Catholic Charities’ Beacon of Hope Center “Super Site” food distribution in Galveston will continue through December 2021 to help people suffering economic hardship during the pandemic. The large-scale drive-through food distribution, supplied by the Galveston County Food Bank, is scheduled for the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month through December, starting at 9:00 a.m.
For each Super Site distribution, the Galveston County Food Bank brings a truck loaded with fresh produce and other nutritious foods to Catholic Charities’ location at the east end of the Galveston Island Community Center. A corps of 15-20 volunteers springs into action, setting up tents, arranging food pallets and bagging produce to serve the many families whose vehicles are parked around the block, waiting to come through the line.
In the 10 months since the pandemic took hold, Beacon of Hope staff and volunteers have distributed more than 361-thousand pounds of food by loading vehicles or otherwise providing food to people in need nearly 5,900 times.
“Our volunteers have this down to a fine science,” said Catholic Charities’ Beacon of Hope Executive Director Elizabeth Kinard. “We’re grateful that so many people choose to pitch in, rain or shine, to help their neighbors who are battling hunger during the pandemic.”
Now a standard practice during the time of COVID-19, drive-through service keeps families and volunteers safe as food is loaded into vehicle trunks and cargo space. In the space of just a few hours, 20,000 pounds of food is distributed on average.
The Beacon of Hope Center is a program of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, located at the Galveston Island Community Center, 4700 Broadway. It’s the only food pantry on Galveston Island that has the capacity to routinely provide both nonperishable and fresh or frozen foods, including meat, dairy and produce.
No appointment is needed for the Super Site distribution, but families wanting food must come in a vehicle. People who travel on foot can be safely served at the Beacon of Hope Center other days of the week by appointment. Pantry hours and contact information are available at CatholicCharities.org/food.