Kim Davis has witnessed God’s blessings through helping neighbors.

With scarce food resources in the Ville neighborhood of north St. Louis, the St. Matthew parishioner organized a collection of food and personal items to be distributed to residents in March, not long after the coronavirus breakout arrived in the St. Louis area. On April 18, she and other volunteers with Revitalization 2000 held a second distribution outside of Claver House.

Donations from the second distribution were made possible through the generosity of churches and individuals with the West County Collaborative and Social Justice 4 All, both of which promote racial and social equity in the St. Louis area through education and acts of service. Parishioners from St. Alban Roe, Holy Infant, St. Clare of Assisi and St. Anselm were among those who participated in the collection, with a second being planned in May. They collaborated with Marie Kenyon of the archdiocesan Peace and Justice Commission, and others.

In late 2017, Davis and others at Claver House started Project Read and Feed to welcome neighborhood children for a bite to eat and fun activities to stimulate their minds. The weekly Saturday morning gatherings temporarily ceased in March because of the virus, but Davis and others have been determined in their efforts to help their neighbors.

“I talked to a lady who was laid off from her job for two months, and another one who asked me for prayers,” Davis said. “As I go out, I have a mask and gloves and practice social distancing, but I have to keep giving out and help this community. I have mothers, young parents asking me what we have. We still have to find a way to make this happen. We already have enough of a problem here, and if we have children family and seniors who are hungry we just can’t let that happen. I have to ask the Lord for His blessing and prayers.”

At the April 18 distribution, volunteers set up two tables, one in front of Claver House and the other across the street near the former Homer G. Phillips Hospital, which now serves as senior apartments. Grocery bags were filled with cereal, breakfast bars, canned goods and other shelf-stable foods, as well as personal products, such as wipes, toilet paper and paper towels. Vouchers for a local food market also were handed out.

Raymond Webster, who lives a few blocks away from Claver House, stopped by on his bicycle to pick up food for him and his girlfriend. “With

places closed, it’s been hard, and we don’t have an automobile,” Webster said. “Thank you all for being here.”

Volunteers Kelley and Brian Jordan, who were manning the table, encouraged Webster to spread the word. “If you know of any families, let them know we’ll be here ‘til 1 o’clock,” Kelley Jordan said.

Precious Ivy, who lives across the street from Claver House, also came over for a few bags of food. Her sons, who were playing outside, saw the table and went in to tell their mother. Ivy is a janitor for a school district in St. Louis County and still has to go in to work. Her sons, 12 and 13, have been sharing a laptop to get their school work done at home. “This is going to help us,” she said of the donation.

Steve Hutchison of Revitalization 2000 noted that the food donation is among the many ways in which Catholic parishes and people have supported neighbors in the Ville. “We’ve been so blessed by people thinking about us,” he said. Claver House also supports a gardening program, kids’ summer camp and small work program that employs people in the neighborhood. Those programs are pending as organizers follow guidance from local state and government and health officials.

Bernie Sammons of Social Justice 4 All said the plan is to make a monthly donation to Claver House going forward. The group also makes 75 sandwiches every week for City Hope St. Louis, nonprofit organization providing food and shelter.

Social Justice 4 All was formed in 2016 as a way to educate others about racial equity and related issues, and has since transitioned into taking action by helping local organizations. The West County Collaborative is a network of churches that facilitates educational events related to social and racial justice

“Living in west county, I’d like to see more of that connectivity between the city and the county,” said Sammons, a member of St. Clare of Assisi Parish in Ellisville. “Social Justice 4 All is that action piece beyond the presentations in churches and to build relationships to support the marginalized. People in West County have been interested and we’re giving them an avenue to help.”

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>> Claver House and Revitalization 2000

For more information, see www.revitalization2000.com. To make a donation to Claver House, contact Steve Hutchison at (314) 265-3257 or [email protected].

>> Social Justice 4 All

To learn more about Social Justice 4 All, see socialjustice4all.org, or contact Bernie Sammons at (314) 853-6391 or [email protected].