Archdiocese distributes $21,000 in grants to parishes helping the hungry

December 10, 2024 // Catholic Relief Services

By Saul Perez

This Advent, the Archdiocese of San Francisco is blessed to award $21,000 in grants to help Marin, San Mateo and San Francisco parishes feed the hungry.

*CRS graphic explaining how the donations are distributed.*

The 2024 Parish Rice Bowl Grant initiative is funded by the 25 percent of the Rice Bowl collection that is returned to the Archdiocese to be used to combat food insecurity. This year, the Office of Human Life & Dignity offered parishes the opportunity to apply for a $1,000 grant. Twenty-one parishes applied and qualified for the grants. The money will go to food pantries, grocery giveaways, individual outreaches by parish Society of St. Vincent de Paul conferences, and other programs to help those struggling to put food on the table.

The 2024 Parish Rice Bowl Grant is made possible through the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Rice Bowl program, a beloved Lenten tradition that encourages Catholics to engage in prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Participants make small sacrifices, such as fasting, and contribute the savings to the Parish CRS Rice Bowl collection. These contributions support both global programs—funding lifesaving initiatives around the world—and local efforts like this grant initiative, which helps parishes combat food insecurity in their own neighborhoods.

*The St. Vincent de Paul Conference food pantry at St. Raphael Parish. (Photo by Saul Perez/Archdiocese of San Francisco)*

The impact of the grants is profound. For instance, St. Andrew Catholic Church in Daly City plans to use its grant to continue addressing the increasing need for food assistance. Madeleine Licavoli, St. Vincent de Paul Conference president, explained, “The number of new families requesting food assistance has been increasing. We are currently serving 10 families, mostly Spanish-speaking and with young children, every month with food and Safeway gift cards. At Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, we also provide assistance with diapers, rent, utilities, thrift store vouchers, and school supplies.”

At St. Raphael Parish in San Rafael, the grant will bolster their food pantry, which operates five days a week out of the rectory. Staffed entirely by volunteers, the pantry provided nearly 3,000 family visits last year, distributing groceries valued at $120,000 and $67,000 in grocery store gift cards. “This grant will help us continue to meet the needs of struggling families in our community,” said Frank Lindh, St. Vincent de Paul Conference president for the parish.

The Archdiocese of San Francisco is grateful to all who participate in the CRS Rice Bowl program during Lent. Their generosity makes initiatives like the Parish Rice Bowl Grant possible, supporting both global humanitarian efforts and local ministries.

Through this initiative, the Office of Human Life and Dignity of the Archdiocese reaffirms its commitment to addressing hunger, uplifting communities, and embodying the love and compassion of Christ in action.

Archdiocese of San Francisco parishes to receive grants are: