St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge provides outreach to the community with three programs
By Gabrielle Nolan
With the new year come new resolutions such as volunteering, giving back to the community, decluttering the house, and living a simpler lifestyle.
Many Catholics turn to their faith for such resolutions, and parishes often have a plethora of opportunities and needs for people to assist with.
One such parish is St. Mary in Oak Ridge, which boasts three community-outreach programs that parishioners and community members alike are invited to partake in.
“As part of our Catholic tradition, we know that our actions demonstrate the strength and commitment we have to our faith,” said pastor Father Ray Powell. “At St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge, we have three special parish ministries that work together in a unique and vibrant way to put Jesus’ command of ‘love of God and love of neighbor’ into action by providing assistance to those in need. Those ministries are our White Elephant thrift store, St. Joseph Food Pantry, and St. Mary Vegetable Garden. These ministries both lead our efforts and coordinate with other parish ministries to help provide assistance for those in need in our Oak Ridge community and beyond.”
Father Powell said that each ministry shares its gifts and talents to meet parish needs by combining faith, hope, and action into a gift offered to both those receiving assistance and those helping to provide it.
“They are an inspiration to me as pastor, to our parish, and to so many from our wider Oak Ridge community who are aware of how these ministries put Christ’s teachings into practice each and every day,” he said.
All three ministries are on the St. Mary Parish campus.

Elementary students from St. Mary School in Oak Ridge shop for family members inside The White Elephant thrift store. (Photo Gabrielle Nolan)
The White Elephant
With a history of more than 60 years, The White Elephant began when parishioners turned a rummage sale into a nonprofit thrift shop to raise money for the parish.
“The proceeds from the White Elephant thrift store help support our parish and school youth ministries and educational projects, as well as help our other parish ministries to provide assistance for those in need in our community,” remarked Father Powell.
The shop offers both new and used affordable clothes for all ages and sizes, home goods, books, artwork, jewelry, religious items, and more.
Its operating hours are Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The current manager, Sarah Stitz, has run the store for more than three years after volunteering under Michelle Scott seven years ago.
Ms. Stitz believes that when people enter the thrift store, they feel the love of Jesus.
“I don’t think I’ve ever charged anyone full price, and our prices are so cheap,” she said. “And it doesn’t matter what faith you are, we’re here for people. If someone comes up and is having a hard time…not just me, but other volunteers, we’ll just stop and say a prayer right then and there with them. It’s really beautiful.”
According to Ms. Stitz, in 2024, the shop gave away close to $30,000 worth of items.
“We give away free stuff on Wednesdays when our food pantry is open. We’re always looking to do and give. There’s a couple of places here in town that give away free coats, and we help supply them,” she shared.
“If people come in and they really want something, and it looks like they can’t afford it or they say they can’t afford it, we’ll just slip it in their bag because that’s what Jesus would do, right? We’re here for the community; we’re here for the passion of it; we’re here to spread love. If we can do that through giving away some stuff that came in for free…I don’t know how many times I’ve had people cry on us, give us hugs because they couldn’t afford something as nice as what we gave them,” Ms. Stitz continued.
Since becoming manager, Ms. Stitz has emphasized outreach to other organizations and community involvement.
“We went up to Rocky Top last Christmas with a couple other organizations, and we were able to donate toys and coats and stuff like that to 55 families with kids. So, that was huge,” she said. “And we do a Santa’s workshop. The little kids (at St. Mary) have big buddies that they go to Mass with, so they come over and shop with them.

A young St. Mary student is assisted with Christmas shopping for her family by teacher Sister Maria Trinity Dagher, OP. (Photo Gabrielle Nolan)
The big buddies learn more about their little buddies’ family and help them wrap [their purchases].”
“We also have our youth group come once a month, and then they help,” Ms. Stitz continued. “We get a lot of college kids and senior high-school kids that need to get their volunteer hours for the HOPE scholarship. At the fall festival, we do a fashion show. This year, we have a ton of prom dresses so…at the end of February we’re going to be doing a huge prom dress sale for all the different high schools in and around Oak Ridge and Knoxville. You can get good stuff for a discounted rate. We’ve also had parishioners that already said they would pay for certain dresses for kids that can’t afford them, so they can have something nice as well.”
All items in the thrift store are donated by members of the parish or larger community. Occasionally, Ms. Stitz will pick up donations if called, but she never has to go looking for items.
“This place is always hopping, and it’s so funny because either people will tell their friends about this place, or they’ll keep us a secret because they don’t want to share how good we are. … Our quality of stuff is just awesome. We are so blessed here,” she said.
Assisting Ms. Stitz is a team of around 20 volunteers, who sort donations, make displays, work the cash register, and more.
“We’re a pretty tight group,” Ms. Stitz said. “It’s really kind of sweet—it’s like our own little family.”
Father Powell is a fan of The White Elephant.
“I am very proud of the commitment and passion to help others demonstrated by our store manager, Sarah Stitz, and her dedicated team of volunteers,” Father Powell said. “They not only provide help to those in need but provide the opportunity and means for our parish and volunteers to put their faith into action on a daily basis as they work to follow the example and teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
For inquiries, contact Sarah Stitz at we@stmarysoakridge.org.

Members of the St. Joseph Food Pantry pose for a photo outside of their building on the St. Mary Parish campus. The pantry distributes food on most Wednesdays from 10 to 11:45 a.m. (Photo courtesy St. Mary Parish)
St. Joseph Food Pantry
The parish’s food pantry has been running for more than 20 years and started as a means to provide food assistance to parishioners. The ministry came under the umbrella of the St. Vincent de Paul Society over 10 years ago.
“Our St. Joseph Food Pantry puts the corporal works of mercy into action on a weekly basis by their direct feeding of the poor and those in need,” Father Powell said. “They put the Gospel values and faith into action by helping build up relationships with service to people in need. This ministry is operated by our parish St. Vincent de Paul conference members, who are dedicated to the love of God and love of neighbor by personal involvement in a team-oriented approach to outreach ministries.”
The pantry distributes food on most Wednesdays from 10 to
11:45 a.m. Patrons are allowed to visit once every four weeks.
Mary Ann Gubanc has been executive director of the St. Joseph Food Pantry for the past three years. Prior to being director, she was the manager for seven years and a previous president of the St. Vincent de Paul conference.
“The SJFP has helped so many of our neighbors, and it is a remarkable feeling to work together assisting those in need,” Ms. Gubanc shared. “Food insecurity is frightening, and it is calming and comforting to see the face of Christ in each of our neighbors.”
According to Ms. Gubanc, the food pantry served 3,215 families, or 8,886 people, in 2024, which equates to around 740 people or 275 families per month.
“One aspect to the pantry is its impossibility to guess how many neighbors may come each week,” she said. “Weather conditions, roads, when folks get their Social Security benefits can affect attendance at our pantry. Also, we add additional products and a gift certificate during holidays, so that can bump numbers up, as well.”
Patrons of the food pantry receive three bags of food. The first bag provides a pound of hamburger meat, eggs, Panera Bread, and candy; the second bag provides boxes of macaroni and cheese, tins of tuna fish, cans of pork and beans, cans of soup, fruit, and a snack; and the third bag provides a box of cereal, 1 pound of spaghetti, cans of spaghetti sauce, and cans of corn and green beans. In addition, the patrons may choose butter or cheese, in-season vegetables, an assortment of canned goods, and hygiene products.
Besides individual donations to the St. Joseph Food Pantry, other organizations also supply food.
“We partner with Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee, where we can purchase goods at a fraction of their retail price,” Ms. Gubanc said. “We partner with Second Harvest Food Rescue Program, where the goods we receive are at no cost.”
The pantry receives food from Panera Bread twice a week, Food City once a week, and Dollar General once a week. There also is a partnership with Operation Sharing Tennessee in Oneida for a variety of items including food, beverages, household items, and kitchen products.
In addition, the pantry received funding from the Pope Francis Grant to provide fresh milk on a weekly basis for patrons. Second Harvest Food Bank applies for grants from the government and occasionally gives savings to the St. Joseph Food Pantry.
Lastly, the parish’s St. Mary Vegetable Garden provides fresh vegetables to the pantry regularly.
For inquiries, contact Mary Ann Gubanc at magubanc@aol.com.

Maintained by volunteers, the St. Mary Vegetable Garden provides fresh fruits and vegetables for the parish’s food pantry. (Photo courtesy St. Mary Parish)
St. Mary Vegetable Garden
Since 2010, the St. Mary Vegetable Garden has been an important part of the parish’s outreach programs. Deacon Gary Sega established the garden alongside a group of volunteers with a mission to provide fresh local food to those with food insecurity.
Walter Dykas is serving his third year as volunteer coordinator for the St. Mary Vegetable Garden after assisting with the garden two years before becoming coordinator.
Mr. Dykas, who became a certified Master Gardener in 2023, remarked that the St. Mary Vegetable Garden is “one of the Anderson County Master Gardener projects, offering learning opportunities for other Master Gardeners and interested community members.”
“The garden volunteers continually experiment and learn how to improve crop production, gardening efficiency, and sustainable practices. Everyone is encouraged to participate and contribute to all aspects of garden operations, including planning, maintenance, harvest, and delivery. We warmly welcome volunteers from both the St. Mary Parish and the wider local community,” Mr. Dykas said.
There is currently a core team of six volunteers who assist with planting, watering, weeding, harvesting, and distributing produce. An additional 10 volunteers also assist with these activities.
“Whether someone is a seasoned gardener or picking up a trowel for the first time, there’s a place for everyone in the St. Mary Vegetable Garden,” Mr. Dykas remarked.
The garden includes a variety of seasonal vegetables, such as tomatoes, peppers, okra, greens, squash, beans, cucumbers, and root vegetables.
“As part of our commitment to sustainable practices, we also grow plants that support pollinator insects and enrich soil nutrition, such as flowering plants and herbs,” Mr. Dykas shared. “The garden operates primarily from early spring through late fall. While some greens and flowers continue to grow through winter, the colder months are primarily dedicated to maintenance, planning, and preparing for the next growing season.”
Over 95 percent of the garden’s harvest goes to the parish’s St. Joseph Food Pantry.
“When we have surplus harvest—more than the food pantry can distribute—we coordinate with other local food pantries and outreach programs, ensuring that fresh, nutritious, locally grown food reaches those who need it most,” Mr. Dykas said.
Mr. Dykas said that the garden ministry supports his faith through serving others and the wonder of God’s creation.
“Through tending to the garden, we witness the beauty and abundance of God’s creation, reminding us of our role as stewards of the earth,” he said. “It’s fulfilling to see how our collective work directly impacts the lives of families in need. The garden also serves as a place for reflection, gratitude, and connection—with God, nature, and each other. Every harvest, no matter how small, feels like a gift and a responsibility.”
He believes that the garden can “continue to make a difference in our community, one harvest at a time.”
Father Powell agrees with that sentiment.
“The St. Mary Garden provides fresh produce, grown on the parish grounds, for the St. Joseph Food Pantry, which provides for the surrounding community’s food-loving families, while building a learning and sharing community for gardening and service,” Father Powell said. “The planning, care, hard work, and love they put into their efforts allow our food pantry to provide fresh, healthy produce for those in need.”
For inquiries, contact Walter Dykas at StMaryGardenOak Ridge@gmail.com.