Food Pantry
Our parish food pantry serves an average of 225 families each month.
We are open every Monday & Thursday 10:00 – 11:30 AM except holidays or days in which schools may be closed due to weather conditions.
As a member of “The Food Pantries of the Capital District”, we follow this group’s geographic boundaries. Please call to find out if your address is in our Food Pantry district. But basically, if you live on any of the following streets, Blessed Sacrament is your food pantry:
Austin Ave., Benson St., Bleeker Ter., our end of Bradford St., Buchanan St., Buell St., our part of Central Ave., our end of Chestnut St., Cleveland St., Clinton Ave., Colby, Colvin, Commerce, Cragie, Croswell, Danker, Dix Ct., Elmo Rd., Essex, Eva, Garfield Pl., Grant Ave., Hunter, Jermain, Keller St., Kent St., King Ave., Kneeland Ave., Lancaster St., W. Lawrence St., Lincoln Ave., the western part of Livingston Ave., Lowell St., Lyric Ave., Manning, N. Manning, Manning Sq., N. Main, McKinley, Niblock, Ct., the beginning of Ontario St., Pansy St., the beginning of Partridge St., the end of N. Pine, Rawson, Roosevelt, the W. part of Second St., Silas, Spring St., State St., Third St., Tremont St., Van Buren St., our end of Washington Ave., Watervliet Ave., West St., and Yardboro.
If you are looking for delivery of food to your house, we are unable to provide that service. But please call The Food Pantries of the Capitol Region (TFP) at (518) 458-1167 and they can help.
Volunteers are needed! Volunteers staff our pantry and assist regularly with food deliveries and stocking shelves on the mornings of the second & fourth Tuesdays of the month, which we receive from the Regional Food Bank in Latham. In addition to our Food Pantry, we are able to assist our families through our Boutique (see below) and/or refer our families to area agencies to address their specific needs. If you are aware of an area family that needs this assistance or if you would like to volunteer your services to make a difference in our community, please call us at 518-482-3375.
The Boutique
Our Parish Thrift Store provides a place for families in the area to purchase at very reasonable prices articles of clothing, shoes, boots, coats, dishware, glassware sets, lamps, small furniture pieces, young children’s furniture, toys and much, much more. At this time we are not accepting stuffed animals, books, cassette or VHS tapes, computer, old styled televisions, bed pillows and items from assisted care, nursing or patient facilities.
The Thrift Store operates through the generosity of our parishioners and others who donate items. Our volunteers sort, organize, and prepare these items for our customers. It is open for shopping every Saturday, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM. There are many great buys available. Come and make a purchase at the best prices in town!
You can help the Parish and our community by volunteering to sort, organize and prepare the items, please contact the Parish Office 518-482-3375 for hours. We need donations of articles to sell. You may donate your items (all in good condition, of course) Tuesday and Friday 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM. Please bring items to the Central Avenue entrance.
Visitation of Shut-Ins
This ministry includes bringing Holy Communion to those confined to their homes on a monthly basis, or more frequently if requested by a shut-in.
Our Parish Giving Tree Program (during Advent & Christmas)
This program provides our area families with children ages Newborn – 12 years with Christmas gifts. We rely solely upon the generosity of our Parishioners who purchase a specific gift for a specific child from taking an ornament off our “Giving Trees” located in our Church during the season of Advent. If you wish to be a part of this outreach effort, please call the parish office at 518-482-3375.
We also visit those residing in nursing homes and health care facilities.
If you would like to help with these visitations, especially Christmas and Easter visitations to nursing homes, please contact the office 518-482-3375.
Full listing of volunteer opportunities with contact info:
Volunteer Spreadsheet