Re: “Coffee Bars or Compassion, letters, Steve LePore, July 24.
Let’s not exaggerate the situation any more than what you are presented with in the news. You make it sound like starvation is here because of fear of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the area. Great exaggeration!
Why are you calling on the pastors? It is up to you and me to help if indeed there is such a crisis. You obviously have no idea of what churches are doing and have been doing for years. I can’t speak for every church, but I do know the Catholic church whose ministries have served the poor and needy in the community for years. Many people call the churches for help whether for rent, utilities, food, prescriptions, gasoline, you name it. Those calls are not ignored.
All these starving people you refer to have phones, They know how to call their church. I can’t speak for every church, but I know that no calls for help to the Catholic church are ignored but are responded to not withstanding that they are not “swimming” in money as you might believe. As an example, many families are personally visited by two members of their St. Vincent de Paul Society who have assisted families to be able to remain in their homes, have utilities re-connected, handed out food vouchers etc.
Ironically, food is not the big issue. The Food Pantry on Railroad Avenue does a great job providing food and if someone is afraid to go themselves, they find someone else to do it for them. If there are any restrictions or help could not be given, it would only be that they are out of funds because the demand has been so high. So if you really want to be a good Samaritan, open your billfold or checkbook and donate to one of the churches so they can continue with their ministries to help the poor and needy in our community.
Hilmar Rosenast
Valencia
