Providence Food Pantry receives $5,000 donation

Christmas has come early for Providence Food Pantry and those who utilize the facility.

On Tuesday, Nov. 30, representatives from ResCare Human Services in Terre Haute paid a visit to Providence Food Pantry in West Terre Haute with a $5,000 donation for the facility, which is a ministry of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

“Everybody has been working together to bring Christmas to everyone,” said Providence Food Pantry Director Sister Joseph Fillenwarth, SP.

ResCare, located at 631 N. 2nd St., Terre Haute, specializes in providing community living services helping individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to experience a better quality of life. The organization serves people in Clay, Daviess, Greene, Knox, Martin, Owen, Parke, Putnam, Sullivan, Vermillion and Vigo counties.

Executive Director Michael Shepherd said this was the first donation the organization has provided to a local entity.

“We hope this is something we can continue to do,” Shepherd said. “We are very excited to be able to do this.”

Shepherd and ResCare Human Relations Director Kevin Bryan also brought food employees and clients had collected for the food pantry. Shepherd said ResCare has planned to continue collecting food for the pantry through the remainder of the year.

Sister Joseph said ResCare is not the only local organization that has sent donations to the pantry in recent weeks as the pantry has received gloves, hats, socks, hygiene products and more food from various other organizations.

Providence Food Pantry serves nearly 3,000 families a year. It was founded in 1994 by Sister Brendan Harvey, SP (RIP).

Partner churches for the pantry include Christ United Methodist Church, Faith United Methodist Church, Emmanuel United Methodist Church, Dunlap United Methodist Church, Bethany United Church of Christ, Assembly of God Church, Saint Mary’s Village Church, Sixth Street Wesleyan Church, Saint Mark’s United Church of Christ and Christ Cathedral in Indianapolis.

The pantry, located at 701 W. National Ave., West Terre Haute, is open every Thursday from 8-10:30 a.m. For more information, call Sister Joseph at 812-535-2544.