We Are Blessed To Help, But The Demand Is Great

One of the benefits of my new job at the Community FoodBank of New Jersey is the opportunity to see so many people come and go in their pursuit of gathering food for the hungry. Unfailingly on any given day upon entering the building, I am greeted by someone new. "Hello, how are you," I say. And the response is always the same. "I'm blessed. How are you?" Every time this happens it makes me stop and smile. It is my opportunity to start the day right -- so much better than a bowl of Kellogg’s which is necessary to feed my body but does not do much for my soul. Every time I answer, "I'm blessed too," I affirm out loud my particular situation -- I am blessed and I am nourished by this realization. The Alleluia Fund was started last year to allow a very tangible opportunity and affirmation to acknowledge the same thing. That we are blessed and that we share our blessings. It allows individuals and families across the diocese the opportunity to give into a large pool of funds -- and therefore make a significant and collective impact and witness in areas of human need. Over this last year our committee has been blessed to hear and share the stories of how the real manifestation of that blessing was expressed through your generosity. Each year we will do the same. The very good news is that this year more individuals had the opportunity to give. People from over 200 households have given to the fund so far, and total donations and pledges come to $42,000. However, that will not nearly meet the support that has been requested from us -- $132,088 -- for which we had hoped to raise $110,000. Can you help? There is still time and we hope you will consider donating to the Alleluia Fund. You can contribute online by going to www.dioceseofnewark.org/Alleluia and clicking the yellow "Donate" button on the right, or by mailing a check payable to the Diocese of Newark with "Alleluia Fund" in the memo line to: The Alleluia Fund, c/o Diocese of Newark, 31 Mulberry Street, Newark, NJ 07102. We are all blessed by God’s gracious love. Through Alleluia we can see and hear how the abundance of God’s gracious love is shared.