Development Office Raises 1200+ Sandwiches Through Social Media Campaign

Maria Hayes Around the Province

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Xavier Seubert distributes sandwiches to guests of St. Francis Breadline. (photo courtesy of FriarWorks)

NEW YORK — Imagine that your life depended on a diet of sliced cheese, deli meat and white bread. For many guests at the Province’s breadlines and soup kitchens, this is their reality.

In anticipation of National Sandwich Day on Nov. 3, Holy Name Province’s Development Office launched its “Meal to Heal” campaign last month to help feed those who depend on the sandwiches distributed by ministries in New York City, Philadelphia, and Hartford, Conn.

The social media campaign began on Oct. 21 and encouraged people to donate $3 to provide someone in need with what might be their only meal of the day.

“Many of these people are homeless, disabled, veterans or just struggling to make ends meet,” said David Convertino, OFM, in a letter to donors. “They depend on these sandwiches to survive.”

The campaign’s original goal was to raise 600 sandwiches, but thanks to the generosity of those who donated, the Development Office was able to double its goal just one week after the campaign began.

“We encouraged donors to give one sandwich in honor of each person who sits around their dinner table at home,” said social media manager Hannah Kong. “We are happy to report that by Nov. 3, we had reached our goal of raising more than 1,200 sandwiches.”

The “Give a Meal to Heal” drive is just one of several campaigns that the Development Office has planned for the end of the year. The annual catalog will soon be available online, allowing people to choose items — such as socks, hats and coats — to donate to guests of HNP ministries.

The annual Franciscan Challenge has also begun. Several ministries — including the Catholic Center at the University of Georgia in Athens, St. Andrew Parish in Clemson, S.C., Sacred Heart Parish in Tampa, Fla., St. Patrick-St. Anthony Parish in Hartford, and St. Francis of Assisi Parish in New York City — have hosted the challenge within the past few months. In December, two parishes – St. Bonaventure in Paterson, N.J., and St. Francis of Assisi in Raleigh, N.C. — will host Franciscan Challenge gatherings.

Information about how the friars of Holy Name Province help people in need can be found on the Friarworks.org website.

— Maria Hayes is communications coordinator for Holy Name Province.

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