Across metropolitan New York City, thousands of people experiencing homelessness struggle every day to access basic necessities like food, clean clothing, and hygiene items. During my service with the Aisling Irish Community and Cultural Center as a volunteer of their Homeless Feeding Program (their longest running program founded in 1990!), I saw this heartbreak up close. I helped prepare and deliver food kits weekly to individuals who often had nothing else to eat that day. These are not statistics: these are our neighbors.

Hearing people’s stories and seeing their resilience taught me what Catholic Social Teaching calls us to recognize: every person is created with equal dignity, and we are called to see Christ in the hungry and forgotten—especially through a Preferential Option for the Poor and Vulnerable. Blessed Edmund Rice’s values remind us that real service comes from standing in solidarity with people, not above them. I went in wanting to help, but I left knowing I needed to advocate—because no one in our shared human experience should face hunger alone. 

This need is growing. Food prices are rising, shelters are over capacity, and more people are turning to outreach programs like Aisling’s for a meal, a blanket, and a moment of compassion. If we do nothing, our marginalized homeless neighbors will continue facing days without food, nights without support, and a system that overlooks them. But if we act, we can offer not just meals—but dignity, hope, and community.

You can make a difference today by generously signing this petition and:

1. Donating food, toiletries, clothing, or essential items to local soup kitchens or outreach programs OR making a monetary donation online to the Aisling Irish Community Center.
2. Volunteering: Give your time at a shelter, soup kitchen, or food pantry near you. Small acts of service have a huge impact.
3. Advocating: Share this message! Spread awareness about the rampant homelessness and hunger crises not only in NYC, but worldwide. Encourage others to care, serve, and give this holiday season like the AICC does diligently.

See the Aisling Irish Community and Cultural Center’s mission and cause at:

• Their History: https://aislingcenter.org/about/
• Homeless Feeding Program: https://aislingcenter.org/irish-volunteers-for-the-homeless/

Through collective action, we can live out our faith, our values, and our shared humanity.

Thank you,

Patrick Jamandre