LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Deacon Thomas Roberts is continuing a mission more than eight decades in the making.
“83 years this month, so 1941, which is a pretty remarkable year in the history of our country, was also the year Catholic Charities started here in Southern Nevada.”
Bishop Thomas Gorman established the organization as the Catholic Welfare Program. Initially created to facilitate adoptions, the mission evolved over the years to meet the Las Vegas Valley’s changing needs.
“And as southern Nevada grew, and got bigger, we added more programs. And certainly, food has always been a program that’s been a big part of our mission for all 80-plus years, and up to today, we’re serving, gosh, about 45 hundred people a day,” shares Deacon Tom, the organization’s president and CEO.
That includes the 25 hundred senior citizens currently enrolled in the Meals on Wheels program. Deacon Tom tells us, many of the rely on drivers for more than something to eat.
“And some of those seniors are alone and really have no one to check on them, so part of the gift of Meals on Wheels is drivers taking seven meals at a time directly to the home and doing a wellness check on that client and often that may be the only human contact that they have.”
Some only have pets for company. Deacon Tom tells us, they’re taken care of too.
“We also provide free pet food, so if a client has a pet, and the pet’s a family member like my dog’s a family member in our house, we’re providing for the pet too, and the client is just as thankful, even more thankful, for the pet food because it’s caring for their family member.”
Catholic Charities also helps keep families’ cupboards full.
“We also have a food pantry, that is serving people, the working poor, people who just aren’t making enough to make ends meet, and we serve about 150 families a day.”
And the group fills the stomachs of those who may not have a kitchen, let alone a cupboard.
“Every day we provide a fresh, hot meal to anyone who needs it, and typically that can be over 500 families a day, 500 individuals and families, “ says Deacon Tom. “They’re coming for a free meal, because they have no place else to go.”
And, he says, everyone is welcome.
“I like to say we don’t check religious ID cards around here, so all God’s children are welcome for food, and resources. We’re here to help, we’re not here to judge,” he says.
“It’s a meal delivered with compassion. It’s a high-quality meal, it tastes good. And we have volunteers every day to help us deliver that meal to the clients. So the food is the help and the service is the hope.”
Deacon Tom says it’s been a worthy mission for decades, and it will continue to be so well into the future.
“We’ve been doing this meal for more than 50 years, every single, never missed a day, and that’s God’s grace, that’s the generosity of this community that allows us to do this work, so it’s humbling for me, and I’m grateful and say thank you.”
He invites not only those in need to visit Catholic Charities but the general public as well.
“I invite people to come and see for yourselves, take a tour, sign up on our website, and come and take a look for yourself so you can see God’s vulnerable children are getting help and hope here.”
You can sign up for a tour, make a contribution, or learn more about the services offered on Catholic Community Services of Southern Nevada’s website.
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