Helpful, kind and saintly work of St. Anne's

By Tanya Connor
The Catholic Free Press

SHREWSBURY – Volunteers for a program that’s been serving a variety of people for decades were recognized recently.
They’re also recognized – as helpful, kind, even saints – by people they serve.     
St. Anne’s Human Services staff members received the Citizen of the Year Award from the Knights of Columbus Bishop O’Reilly Assembly #399 of Worcester on June 12 at the Adelphi Council # 4181 headquarters, said Nicholas Todisco, Bishop O’Reilly Assembly captain and Grand Knight of the Adelphi Council.
Since this program involves many people, he said, the Knights honored the whole staff with a plaque saying the award is “in recognition and appreciation for your faithful service to the community.”
At the same time, the Knights gave Father Paul T. O’Connell, Adelphi Council chaplain and St. Anne Parish’s senior priest, the Knight of the Year Award.
“We were so thrilled,” Melinda Nies, manager of the Human Service’s food pantry along with Myriam Kant, said of the staff’s award. “The Knights of Columbus have been partnered with us for years,” giving the program coats and gift cards to distribute and bringing food from Worcester County Food Bank to the pantry in St. Anne Church’s basement.
Elaine LeBlanc, 86, St. Anne’s Human Services director, said she started the outreach at least 50 years ago with fellow St. Anne’s parishioners Carol Quinn and Carmela Polanik.
Their pastor then, Father William B. Welz, mentioned that people were calling the rectory for help, including a woman with several children, who contacted him before Christmas.
“He was looking for someone to deliver a food basket,” Mrs. LeBlanc recalled. “And so my friend Carol and I did.” That got her thinking, “There must be other people like this.”
Catholic Charities had given up its clothing collection bin in St. Anne’s parking lot, she said, so she and others asked Father Welz if they could keep the clothing donations coming and open a thrift shop on church property.
At first they used space in the parish center, so they had to put everything away before religious education classes each week, she said. About five years later they moved into the unused church basement.
What started as a parish 501(c)(3) non-profit “extended through the town,” involving other churches, and businesses that became benefactors, Mrs. LeBlanc said. The program arranged to get food from Worcester County Food Bank, which supplies area pantries.
Human Services has served mainly Shrewsbury residents over the years, but, during the coronavirus pandemic, the food bank asked them to give food to anyone in need, she said.
Over the years, Human Services has helped in several ways. Mrs. LeBlanc said if a need she couldn’t meet was presented to her, she told her staff.
“I never once heard them say, ‘No,’” she recalled. Everything they got involved with became part of the program’s outreach.
Volunteers ranged from professionals to people helped by the program. Inmates from Worcester County Jail and House of Correction in West Boylston stocked the pantry and helped in the thrift shop after hours.
“They were wonderful!” Mrs. LeBlanc said. “When they got out, we saw to it that they were properly outfitted” - with clothes from the thrift shop.
Also receiving free clothes and other items from there were program clients, fire victims, people in rehabilitation programs, refugees that Human Services sponsored and diners at the Mustard Seed soup kitchen in Worcester, where staff members served meals monthly, she said.
“The thrift store had its time,” Mrs. LeBlanc said; it closed on June 1, 2021. “When COVID broke out, we struggled to keep it going.” Occupancy was limited, volunteers hesitated to sort items, and it was no longer cost-effective to rent trucks to pick up donations, she said.
The food bank suggested that pantries allow clients to choose foods they wanted, Mrs. LeBlanc said, so the thrift shop was converted into a “choice pantry.” Through a COVID-driven grant, they got commercial freezers.
“We only put limits” when supplies are limited, Mrs. LeBlanc said. Clients don’t hoard; “they have faith in us.”
She praised Ms. Nies for her management of the “extremely well organized” pantry with volunteers “from all backgrounds, all faiths.”
The thrift shop generated money for the overall program, Ms. Nies said. But the pantry can afford to continue because it gets food from the food bank and donations from individuals, churches, schools and businesses.
Human Services continued distributing free food throughout the pandemic, she said.
They are continuing a service offered before and during the pandemic: clients drive up weekly for pre-packed boxes of perishable foods, mostly from the food bank, Trader Joe’s and Target, Mrs. LeBlanc said.
Also before and during the pandemic, families could choose monthly a limited number of free foods in the church parking lot, Ms. Nies said.
To choose such non-perishables now, each family can “shop” monthly in the pantry, where they also get meat. Ms. Nies said a separate monthly “shop day” for senior citizens is being planned.
The pantry serves more than 300 families, which average 3.1 members, she said. There are 18 regular volunteers, plus students in the summer.
“These people are living saints – they’re doing God’s work,” stated Joseph Trent, of Our Lady of Providence Parish in Worcester, who said he got food for friends there, and pies for himself.
“I love it!” said Milca Hernandez, as she drove up for food for herself, her husband and two children. “I love the people. Everybody here is nice. They are working for God. This is important for us.”
Volunteers talked with Judy Cheng as she drove up. She used the words “good” and “kind” to describe the benefits and people there.
“They’re always so… gracious … and helpful,” said Sharon Zschuschen, of St. Mary Parish in Shrewsbury. “It makes a difference – a full meal or not, whether we have fruit or not. … Such a good quantity and quality of food.” She said she’s retired, but works part time to get cheaper medical insurance, and has family members to feed. It’s hard to accept charity, but she doesn’t mind coming here because people are so kind, she said.
“It’s good to know you make a difference in their lives,” said volunteer Yasmine Elkhaouli.
“It’s such a joy to be with everybody,” said Gail Bisceglia, a volunteer from St. Anne’s Parish. “We look forward to it every week.”
Food is the main thing the program offers now, but it also provides COVID test kits, holiday turkeys, grocery store gift cards, Easter baskets and school backpacks, those involved said. Through Christmas giving trees donors now give gift cards instead of toys. T.J. Maxx employees donated children’s coats and boots.
Human Services started a diaper club to provide clients’ babies with diapers and a birthday club to supply party items and gift cards, Ms. Nies said. Girl Scouts and a women’s group have packed birthday bags.
Then there’s the St. Anne’s parishioner Ms. Nies calls “our angel,” who doesn’t identify himself as he weekly brings $100 in gift cards.