News 2008

July 29, 2008
Hibernian Hunger Project Feeds Pennsylvania

Well another St. Patrick's Day has come and gone. In the Keystone State the Hibernian Hunger Project keeps gaining momentum with our charitable deeds to help the less fortunate, Veterans groups, and the homebound elderly. Hibernians from the AOH and LAOH keep giving of their time and money to help this charity to continue to grow ever since Bob Gessler first conceived it. Members from Allegheny County helped to distribute 16,295 pounds of food to needy families in the Braddock, Pa area as part of the Produce to People Results on the weekend of March 8th and 9th. On Saturday, April 5th, the Allegheny County HHP helped distribute 19,188 lbs. of food. The April effort supported over 425 household and/or 870 individuals. At the Pittsburgh St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee and the Allegheny County AOH again joined in collecting food for the less fortunate. A great way to honor St. Patrick on his Feast Day. They collected 2,724 lbs of food and $2,535 in donations. On Saturday, March 29th, six AOH members from Divisions 9 & 17 traveled to Northeast Philadelphia to participate in the Philadelphia HHP 2008 Cook In. The purpose of the trip was two fold. First, they wanted to show support for our brothers from Philadelphia, as the Cook In is the largest event of the year for the Philadelphia HHP. Secondly, it was a fact-finding mission to gain insight into the operation and preparation necessary to stage such an event in Allegheny County later this year. The Allegheny County Board gave a $250 donation to the Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, as part of the Hibernian Hunger Project.

St. Brendan’s Division 1 donated $500 in food cards to St Margaret’s Church in Reading Pa. to be disbursed to needy families in the parish for Easter. Private Barney Devine Division 1 of Adams County partnered with Gettysburg Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 15 to raise funds for two local hunger charities, the interfaith Gettysburg Community Soup Kitchen and the South Central Community Action Programs’ Adams County Food Pantry. The funds from the AOH St. Patrick’s Day Party was billed as a Hibernian Hunger Project and a match by the VFW where the party was held. Lycoming County Officer John P. Maloney Division 1 collected food items at their St Patrick's Day Mass; the collection was $300.00 in food and cash. This was donated to their local parishes food pantry, which helps those in need in our community.

Montgomery County Notre Dame Division 1 along with there ladies division collected canned and boxed foods during the month of March. They also collected at the Conshohocken Saint Patrick’s Day Parade, and team with five local Catholic grade schools, Epiphany of Our Lord, St Francis of Assisi, St. Helena, Mother of Divine Providence and Conshohocken Catholic join them in this venture. They collected 2,000 pounds of food which is donated to the Patrician Society, a food bank in Norristown that supplies food baskets to needy area families.

The Philadelphia County AOH and LAOH held the 4th Great Irish Stew Cook - off on Thursday, March 13th, at Finnigan's Wake. The winners were: Ida Mae’s Bruncherie in the Professional category, in the Amateur Category, Dan Hazley from Division 87. Thanks to all of the restaurant’s and AOH and LAOH members who took the time to make their Irish Stews. The Philadelphia
Hibernian Hunger Project raised $1,350 for our annual cook – in. AOH Division 87 made a $100 donation to the hunger project at this event. On Saturday, March 29th, members of the Philadelphia AOH and LAOH help with the preparing and packaging of 12,400 meals in five hours at Aid-for-Friends. It was a terrific turnout by the Philadelphia AOH and LAOH members. Their families and friends as well as several junior divisions came out and helped. Thanks to our friends from the surrounding Counties and our AOH brothers from the Monroe and Allegheny Counties who stopped by and participated. Aid-for-Friends normally struggles to get through the summer with enough meals to feed all 2,113 shut-ins. While volunteer cooks often go away on vacation during this time, the Hibernians from Philadelphia are ready to lend a hand. The "Cook-In" is the main annual event of the Philadelphia Hibernian Hunger Project. The Philadelphia AOH – LAOH Hibernian Hunger Project cook-in has prepared, package and delivered over 80,100 individual meals since 2000. They also sent bulk meals of chicken breast and meat loaf along macaroni and cheese and vegetables to the Philadelphia Veterans Multi-services Center who feed average 75 to 100 veterans a day. Philadelphia AOH and LOAH Division 61 made 300 brown bag lunches for St. Francis Inn who serve the poor and homeless in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia on April 5th. Division 25 at their monthly meetings package breakfast items for Aid for Friends. They are doing about 125 breakfast bags per month.

The Hibernian Hunger Project is a way for our members to honor those Irish ancestors who left us a legacy of Irish hospitality and generosity for those in greater need than ourselves. It is with continued support of our members that the Project will grow with every coming year and become one of our proud hallmarks of charity and unity.”