Lois Heist, parishioner of St John's and chair of the CRS in Action Committee, traveled to Burkina Faso in July with a team from Catholic Relief Services. On the team were two others from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Norma Yabut of St Vincent de Paul in Richboro, and from St Monica's in Berwyn. The team learned about the work of CRS in Burkina Faso, visited several projects sponsored by CRS, and saw where Helping Hands meals are warehoused for distribution. The also saw meals being prepared for consumption. In general, the goal of CRS is to support capacity-building projects that lead communities to be self-sustaining. However, Helping Hands meals are shared where food is a primary need, and where providing the meals will not negatively impact the local economy.
The CRS Committee at St John's is planning a meal packing event on November 5 at the Parish Day of Service. We need an additional $3000 and 100 able workers to pack 10,000 meals in under two hours. Please plan to join us in support of this effort. St Vincent de Paul has packed 32,000 meals, and St Monica's 135,000 meals. Many more tens of thousands have been packed at parishes and schools in our Archdiocese, and up and down the east coast.
Read more about the CRS Mission Trip to Burkina Faso on CatholicPhilly.com
