‘Breaking Bread’ community dinners support the St. Joseph community through free meals and fellowship
Maura Baker
Staff Writer
What started with three friends recognizing a need became a year of community blessings. When St. Joseph, Crescent Springs, parishioners Christie Pazia, Julane Becker and Tim McClanahan approached pastor Father Ryan Belscher with an idea to give back to the community by sharing meals, he responded by welcoming the idea — with an anonymous donor already in the wings to help them bring it to life.
From working with families through other parish and local programs, such as Cavaliers Care and St. Vincent de Paul, Ms. Pazia said that it was “very clear that, right in our own backyard … families are struggling.”
These families rely on programs such as St. Vincent de Paul to help pay rent, afford groceries, baby formula, diapers and other necessities.
“It’s so easy to lose track of who’s in need right in your own backyard,” Ms. Pazia said. And, with the help from their anonymous benefactor and the space available in the parish’s Noll Hall, alongside the hands and aid of the parish community, the joint effort of the three friends was able to come to fruition — monthly community dinners they call “Breaking Bread.”
These events are open to all in the community who wish to partake, offering a free meal and seasonal family activities to enjoy, from a bounce house to painting pumpkins.
“We’ve found that what started as making people feel welcomed and enjoying a free meal together, really turned into fellowship,” Ms. Pazia said, sharing a story of a man from Madonna Manor who comes to the dinners regularly.
“He comes because he just wants to talk to people,” she said, “and the kids,” children of parish families who volunteer at the dinners, “sit down and visit with him.”
“These dinners have reached all different types of people,” said Ms. Pazia, with the events growing month by month. “We tell our volunteers that we have no idea who’s walking through the doors tonight, but we pray that the Holy spirit has encouraged them to come, and we’re going to love on them and welcome them with open arms.”
“At St. Joe’s,” Ms. Becker commented, “we had just finished our undercroft — the whole point of redoing it was to build it for the community, to make this space a place where we can live our mission and the mission that Christ gave us.”
Ms. Pazia, Ms. Becker and Mr. McClanahan’s work is set to continue in November. The next “Breaking Bread” dinner is scheduled for November 15, featuring a thematic turkey dinner for the month. Thanksgiving meal kits, including donated turkeys and LaRosa’s “Buddy Cards” will be given away to the community as well.
