By Bill Archer
One of the Seven Pillars of Catholic Social Teaching is a Preferential Option for the Poor and Vulnerable. Addressing the needs of these poor and vulnerable in our community is the goal of the Ministries within the St. Isidore Human Needs Commission. DuPage County, Bloomingdale Township, Neighborhood Food Pantries, The People’s Resource Center, Catholic Charities, Loaves and Fishes, St. Vincent DePaul and Bridge Communities are among the numerous local agencies and non-profits with whom we work in this mission. In this article we will look at our relationship with The People’s Resource Center (PRC).
Located in Wheaton and in Westmont, the PRC is a grass roots, community-supported organization bringing neighbors together to respond to hunger and poverty in DuPage County since 1975. Over 2000 volunteers donate their time at PRC in an effort to meet our community’s needs – neighbor to neighbor. They serve over 9,000 DuPage families each year.
People’s Resource Center The People’s Resource Center is a lifeline in times of crisis through their assistance programs, including:
- Food Pantry
- Emergency Rent & Mortgage Assistance
- Clothes Closet
- Financial Assistance & Social Services
Additional PRC programs help people create pathways to self-sufficiency through:
- Job Assistance
- Computers and Training
- Adult Learning & Literacy
- Art Program
One of the main ways in which St. Isidore Parish benefits from working with the PRC is through our ESL (English as a Second Language) Ministry. As with numerous other churches in the community, the PRC supports and mentors the ESL program with tutor training, textbooks, materials, testing feedback, and emotional support. This year marks the tenth anniversary of our St. Isidore program. That’s a decade of helping adults improve their language skills, develop social skills, and form friendships in a nurturing one-on-one environment.
Conversely, the PRC receives regular support over the year from the St. Isidore Community, particularly around the holiday season.
During the Advent season at St. Isidore, we offer opportunities through the Giving Tree and the Toy and Coat Drives for our parishioners to give those things that take funds from a low income family’s precious financial resources. The PRC is one of several non-profits we partner with in order to distribute our gifts to the needy.
Additionally, numerous St. Isidore parishioners volunteer their time to many of the various PRC programs mentioned above, and the Youth Group occasionally volunteers at the PRC food pantry as part of their service projects.
To find more about the People’s Resource Center, check them out on Facebook or go to www.peoplesrc.org