Seven teams of parishioners, like Jane Myers and Terry O’Brien, (pictured, right), pick up food twice a week from area stores and deliver it to local outreach organizations.  

It all started 37 years ago with a trip to the grocery store.  

Pete Dudek, a longtime parishioner who was involved with St. Vincent de Paul, realized the leftover food that stores were throwing away could be put to better use. Along with his wife Eleanor, Dudek picked up food from half a dozen stores each week and delivered it to the food pantry at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Atlanta, right around the corner from the state capitol building.  

As the Dudeks transitioned out of the program in 2015, SVdP volunteer John Griffin stepped up, changing the model to teams of volunteers who take turns. Griffin also enjoys the camaraderie of being a team member.  

“The recipients are so thankful, and it’s very uplifting to our volunteers,” he said.  

The pandemic put the program on hiatus and caused the shrine to change its operations. Things were able to resume this fall after Griffin solicited new recipients. “It’s really interesting to see the backroom operations of the donors and meet many of their clients,” he said. 

Each Thursday or Friday, teams visit loading docks at area stores, like Publix and Honey Baked Ham, and pack their cars with hundreds of breads, sweets, rolls and hambones to distribute to several organizations in the Marietta area and the St. Ann food pantry. 

Volunteer Arwen Tibaldi said serving with St. Ann friends is a highlight for her each month. 

“Bread runners is a tangible way to bring Christ’s love to our brothers and sisters who face food insecurity in our community,” she said.