Home / News & Publications / Michigan Catholic News / 2008 / Clients can 'shop' at new Blue Water Food Depot
Clients can 'shop' at new Blue Water Food Depot
by Robert Delaney of The Michigan Catholic
Published April 18, 2008
Port Huron — Recipients of food assistance can "shop" for what will go into the bags of groceries they will take with them from the new Blue Water Community Food Depot.
"We were looking for a more dignified way to do this," said volunteer Tom Daunt, a member of St. Mary Parish in Port Huron, of the "client choice" format for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul's new food depot for the St. Clair County area.
In operation since February, the new facility at 2408 Tenth St. in Port Huron was formally dedicated April 6. "We give them a list with guidelines on it, and then they can choose what they want from what's on that list," Daunt explained. Clients of the food depot are able to wheel a grocery shopping cart through the aisles of the new 2,400-square-foot facility, filling the basket with items from the shelves.
The food depot was founded by the late Fr. Rene Desmarais, who was pastor of Port Huron parishes of St. Joseph and St. Stephen and Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission, and Larry Fredendall, a Vincentian from St. Mary Parish.
At its most recent former home on Griswold Street, it operated as most such facilities do, with a volunteer packing up a selection of groceries for a client, then bringing it out to them.
Bill Heinen, president of the Port Huron District Council of the SSVdP, said it was thought that the new set-up would be a more respectful way of serving those in need.
The number of families needing food assistance has been growing, Heinen continued, saying the food depot served 316 families during March, up from 262 during the same month last year. And he added that those 316 families worked out to 944 individuals.
Some estimates have placed unemployment in the Port Huron area as high as 18 percent.
Although its principal supporters are St. Mary Parish, Port Huron, and St. Christopher Parish, Marysville, the food depot receives regular donations — and referrals — from about 30 St. Clair County Catholic and Protestant congregations, as well as secular organizations, Heinen said.
Fr. Brian Cokonougher, pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in Port Huron, said, "Outreach to the poor has always been a large part of our ministry, and I am extremely happy we have been able to continue our commitment to them — along with the generosity of the local community — through the food depot."
For more information on the Blue Water Community Food Depot, call (810) 987-7886.
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