Small parish makes a big impact in Madison County
Partnering with rural parishes enables Catholic Charities to reach people who may have difficulty traveling to Asheville for assistance, said Jesse Boeckermann, Catholic Charities’ Western Region official.MARS HILL — Nearly two years after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, a small Catholic parish in Madison County is building on the relationships forged during the disaster to help local children facing food insecurity.
St. Andrew the Apostle Parish, the only Catholic church in Madison County, became an emergency relief center after Helene – distributing food, water, clothing, batteries, cleaning products and other necessities to residents regardless of faith.
The parish’s mission, Sacred Heart in Burnsville, provided similar assistance in neighboring Yancey County. Both churches are led by Father Anthony Mbanefo, MSP.
The relief effort introduced many people in the wider community to St. Andrew and led to a new partnership with Mars Hill Elementary School, said Kelly Hansen, parish secretary/assistant.
After emergency operations wound down, school officials asked whether the parish could continue helping local families. Parishioners responded by providing weekend food bags each Friday for more than 60 children identified as being at risk for food insecurity.
This school year, Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte’s Western Regional Office has joined the effort – providing reusable bags, supplemental food donations and funding for food.
A core group of about 10 parishioners, led by Vicki Fedor, gathers weekly to pack the bags. A great-grandmother and former school employee, Fedor is passionate about ensuring children have the nutrition they need to succeed in school.
The parish and Catholic Charities also partnered Aug. 12 for a back-to-school giveaway for Madison County students. A grant secured by Catholic Charities from The David and Susan Schoenholz Foundation provided new backpacks and school supplies for elementary, middle and high school students.
Hansen said the outreach grew directly from the parish’s response to Helene.
“Our two churches rose to the challenge through our relief centers,” she said. “This brought our parishioners closer together as they spent countless hours volunteering to serve those affected by Helene’s devastation.”
Partnering with rural parishes also enables Catholic Charities to reach people who may have difficulty traveling to Asheville for assistance, said Jesse Boeckermann, Catholic Charities’ Western Region director of external engagement.
“The relationship between Catholic Charities and these two rural parishes is a working example of how to support a community,” Boeckermann said.
For St. Andrew parishioners, the ministry also echoes their patron: the Apostle who brought the boy with five barley loaves and two fish to Jesus before the feeding of the 5,000.
Today, their small parish continues that legacy – bringing what it has to Christ and sharing it with neighbors in need.
— Donna Bange