St. Mary’s South Side’s Ongoing Partnership with St. Anthony’s Food Pantry

Led by their Campus Ministry, the St. Mary's South Side community has dedicated the school year to supporting the local St. Anthony's Food Pantry through weekly volunteer work, targeted food drives, and generous fundraising efforts to serve families in the Dutchtown neighborhood.

St. Mary’s South Side has forged a relationship with the St. Anthony’s Food Pantry right here in our own Dutchtown community.  Our students and families, organized by our Campus Minister, Mrs. Frey, have invested their time and resources at the food pantry since the beginning of the school year. On Wednesday, from 3 to 6, Mrs. Frey takes a weekly group of student volunteers over to the food bank, which is housed at the St. Anthony Padua Parish Center, a few blocks from our campus.  In addition to contributing weekly labor to this important work, our community has run ongoing drives to collect peanut butter, the pantry’s most in-demand item, gathering up to 50 jars each time. During the annual Thanksgiving food drive, the St. Mary’s South Side family raised additional food and monetary donations for the food pantry that week. This, in turn, allowed the food pantry to feed families during the busy holiday season and to support important facility renovations that provide their clients with a dignified and functional space.  We sent an army of student volunteers to this valuable community resource during our day of service.  During our Spirit Week, our community raised and donated $1000 to the St. Anthony of Padua food pantry.   

St. Mary’s South Side is so grateful for the opportunity to answer the call of the poor in a real and impactful manner.

Update sent by Curt Sidorski,

Ministry Lead, Marianist Encounters,

Social Studies & Media Teacher,

St. Mary's South Side Catholic High School

St. Louis, MO