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Mass Schedule
| Monday: | 7:30am, 9:00am |
| Tuesday: | 7:30am, 9:00am |
| Wednesday: | 7:30am, 9:00am |
| Thursday: | 9:00am |
| Friday: | 9:00am |
| Saturday: | 5:30pm |
| Sunday: | 8:00am, 10:30am, 6:00pm |
Kentucky Project
Information:
The Kentucky Project is a group of individuals dedicated to Christ’s command to feed the hungry. It was founded in early 2006 by a small faith-sharing group that got together as a result of a St. Barbara-sponsored Alpha course.
It is an “adopt-a-family” ministry that directly provides non-perishable food from a St. Barbara family or group to individual families in Kentucky. The Kentucky families are identified by Sr. Alice Retzner, a Franciscan nun dedicated to improving the lives of the people of Boone and Owsley Counties in Kentucky. This area is one of the most impoverished in the United States. Sr. Alice coordinates this mission effort out of Queen of All Saints Catholic Church in Beattyville, Kentucky.
Sr. Alice identifies the families with children who are the most financially distressed. On our end, we locate people who are willing to commit to “adopting” one of these families. Our objective is to provide each family with a box of non-perishable food that would be roughly equivalent to one week’s worth of food. Typically, the last week of the month is when families in great need run out of resources (food bank empties, food stamps run out).
We currently have “adopted” twenty families that receive monthly food boxes. Logistically, this is the maximum number that we are able to serve at the present time. We have profiles for each family that detail the names and ages of each family member. With this information, we are able to provide appropriate items in their boxes. Sr. Alice routinely reassesses each family’s needs. If a family’s condition improves (health condition improves, new job, etc.), that family will be replaced with the next family on her list.
For two years, the most economical way of shipping was mailing them through the Harrison City Post Office. Recently, we partnered with The Christian Laymen’s Corp who donate their truck and driver. In addition to our food boxes, CLC fills the remainder of the truck with food donated from local businesses, clothing and household items collected in their many drives. These items benefit not only our families, but the community at large through the Booneville, Compton and Beattyville missions.
To date, we have sent over 28,000 pounds of food alone to Kentucky.
Project Impact:
The Kentucky Project positively affects lives for the obvious reason of providing monthly food assistance to these 20 impoverished families. We also have regular church-sponsored collections that provide clothing, furniture, bicycles and toys, etc. These items are available to Sr. Alice to distribute to the needy, or to sell in their recently-built thrift shop that provides employment opportunity, as well as low-cost merchandise for sale.
On our end, we have had unexpected benefits that go beyond the satisfaction of knowing that we are positively impacting these families’ lives in an ongoing manner. One of the most significant benefits is the inclusion of children when we have our monthly packing sessions. Many of these children help their parents/grandparents with shopping, sharing and packing for their Kentucky family. This is helping to foster the life-long habit of helping those in need and creating awareness that not everyone is blessed with a comfortable lifestyle. Some of the children have developed pen-pal friendships with their Kentucky counterparts. Many of the Kentucky families have expressed gratitude that people who don’t even know them care enough to help total strangers.
Project Makeup and Time Investment:
Although the Project is made up mostly of St. Barbara parishioners, we welcome non-parish involvement. Several groups are made up of different faith denominations, working together toward a common goal.
This Project encompasses all five of the St. Barbara pastoral goals: Stewardship, Evangelization, Spiritual formation, Fellowship, and Service.
The unique quality of this ministry is that you can help out in many ways.
The Kentucky Project meets once each month, usually the third Wednesday of each month. Packing sessions begin at 6:30 p.m. and usually end by 8:00. Each group is responsible for buying the food and packing the box(s) for their Kentucky family. On average, this probably requires about 1-2 hours per month.
Because the financial commitment to provide food and shipping costs each month is substantial, most Kentucky families are sponsored by groups (friends/family, faith-sharing groups, CCD, Queen of Angels, etc.), although several are sponsored by individual families.
Those wanting to be involved with the Project, but are unable to commit to sponsoring a family, are able to be involved by making financial contributions that are used to pay for monthly fuel/shipping costs. Tax-deductible donations can be made to St. Barbara’s Church, notating on the memo line that it is to be used for the Kentucky Project.
We also welcome one-time or periodic donations of time and talent. For example, we have had Girl/Boy Scout and civic groups volunteer to help with clothing drives and packing sessions. Students seeking service hours are always welcome at our packing sessions! The St. Barbara’s Ladies Guild and Knights of Columbus have been supportive with donations that helped defray our shipping expenses.
The Bushy Run Lions’ Club provided turkey/grocery certificates to all 20 of our Kentucky families last Thanksgiving. We have generous donors who periodically provide boxes and toiletry items (much appreciated because foodstamps cannot be redeemed for things like shampoo, soap and toothpaste).
Because of the ongoing nature of the Project, we are always looking for new members to either sponsor a new family, or join an existing group. Please, come to one of our packing sessions and feel the energy and excitement that is the Kentucky Project!
Kentucky Project Links:
Photo Gallery - 2008: See Photo Gallery
Contact Information:
Al "Skip" and Barb Kustra
Phone: (724) 864-6886
Email: