By CatholicPhilly Staff • Posted February 22, 2024

An annual archdiocesan food collection is once again looking to alleviate hunger, one can at a time.

Nutritional Development Services (NDS), an agency of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, is hosting its annual “One-Can Meal” food drive to help fulfill the Lenten season’s call to prayer, almsgiving, and fasting.

This year’s food drive offers both in-person and online donation options available now through March 26. The items will help stock the shelves of NDS’ network of 50 food cupboards throughout the Greater Philadelphia region.

The agency is also partnering with archdiocesan schools and Parish Religious Education Programs to gather canned items such as ravioli, beef stew, and corned beef hash among other options.

For five decades, NDS has been countering hunger in the five-county area by operating federally funded child nutrition programs and privately supported food cupboards.

Last year, NDS collected approximately 25,000 pounds of non-perishable items through this initiative to benefit hundreds of food-insecure families and individuals in our area.

Lenten food drives help fulfill the season’s call to almsgiving. Area faithful are also encouraged to participate in the Archdiocese’s 49th annual Catholic Relief Services’ Rice Bowl initiative, which provides people of all ages with ways to incorporate fasting and almsgiving into their Lenten journeys.

In 2023, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s Rice Bowl collection was up nearly 14% with over $426,000 raised through Rice Bowl.

Approximately seventy-five percent of those funds, or $320,000, supported CRS’ humanitarian response and development programs in nearly 100 countries where it operates.

The remaining twenty-five percent of the funds, or $106,000, went to NDS supporting hunger and poverty alleviation efforts throughout the Greater Philadelphia region.

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Those interested in donating items directly are asked to contact Denise Hopkins at dhopkins@ndsarch.org.