Lending a helping hand

St. Alphonsus Community Services provides assistance to those in need

By St. Alphonsus Community Service Volunteers

“Of all devotions, that of adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the greatest after the sacraments, the one dearest to God, and the one most helpful to us.”— St. Alphonsus Liguori

In 1986, six ladies, led by Laura Brenn and Jane Aiken, established a food pantry in the basement of the old St. Alphonsus Church in Crossville.

In the ensuing decades, the scope of St. Alphonsus Community Services (SACS) has broadened to encompass residents across Cumberland County. SACS’ community- service beginnings were small, and its facilities inadequate.

In those early years, the volunteer staff quickly found itself running out of space.

In the 1990s, the people of St. Alphonsus Parish undertook a fundraising campaign to build a new worship space. A suitable 37-acre parcel was purchased, on which stood a circa-1880 farmhouse commonly referred to as the “Red House.” This building would better serve SACS’ needs and facilitate our helping even more people in our community.

The Red House required extensive renovation. Parishioners painted ceilings, hung wallpaper, and collected donated desks, tables, and filing cabinets.

In November 1991, the food pantry moved into its larger quarters. Under directors Bea Bartoszek and Mary Mitter, SACS continued to expand and flourish to help far more people. Every year, this once-humble outreach endeavor aids thousands of people in need, regardless of religious affiliation.

Then, after 12 years in the Red House, it was time to move again.

In 2000, construction of our new church complex began. In May 2003, we vacated our former church home, and the Red House was demolished. SACS returned to the former church school rooms. This relocation was temporary, as that building was up for sale.

Just over a year later, construction of the new SACS building began. Bishop Joseph E. Kurtz blessed and officially opened the facility in 2004. Since then—under the leadership of Pat Cebe, followed by Carol Rosales, Jerry Lorenc, and now Gerald Hengel—we are better equipped to serve those less fortunate in Cumberland County.

Generous financial and in-kind support from our parishioners and other benefactors has helped us further our mission to serve those less fortunate.

In 1996, an $11,000-plus bequest in a parishioner’s will gave our operating budget a tremendous boost. A year later, Father Al Humbrecht, on behalf of parishioners of Sacred Heart Cathedral in Knoxville, presented SACS with a check for $2,300.

One donor’s $500 gift was tripled by the company from which he retired, for a total of $2,000.

Each month we receive electronic transfers from folks who quietly support our efforts.

The people of the Diocese of Knoxville have been generous through their support of The Pope Francis Charitable Trust Fund that continues to support St. Alphonsus Parish’s SACS program through an annual grant of $5,000.

And when SACS needs extra financial assistance, it is amazing how God provides!

In 2010, St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Fairfield Glade officially joined the SACS family; their parishioners support this vital outreach effort with financial and physical assistance.

Our dedicated board of directors and volunteers—comprising members of both parishes—contributes far more than time and labor; they contribute their own money, buy extra food when we run short, and have purchased much-needed shelving to store food and other items.

We now have a dedicated team of over 30 volunteers who dispense food, and the generous monetary donations received from parishioners of both churches. A custom-designed database ensures SACS maintains accurate files.

SACS has had many inspirational stories in recent years. One volunteer spent more than four hours on the phone with a mortgage company, helping a client in dire need avoid foreclosure. We paid the mortgage, enabling the client to remain in their home. Similarly, we have enabled other families to remain in their homes through rent and utility payments.

We realize our ministry could not survive without the generosity of members of St. Francis and St. Alphonsus Parishes. But our intent is to provide more than financial assistance. For many of our clients, SACS represents their first interaction with the Catholic Church—and it is a positive one!

So many of our neighbors are desperately in need of help—particularly in the past four years. Many have lost jobs. Food-stamp allocations have been cut, and food prices have skyrocketed. But SACS’ commitment to those in need has not faltered; members of both parishes have nobly stepped up to increase their donations. We have also applied for grants from organizations such as FEMA, Volunteer Energy Cooperative, and Middle Tennessee Natural Gas Co.; many have come through with needed aid.

SACS now provides a range of services to those in need within our community. No religious affiliation is required to receive aid. SACS is open Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Central Time). The food pantry closes at 1:30 p.m. each day.

Any resident of Cumberland County who is in need—and has a photo ID (or driver’s license)—may apply for financial assistance. After verification, rent, electricity, gas, and water bills are paid directly to landlords or utility companies (no more than once every six months). Residents may also receive food from the food pantry once every eight weeks.

SACS also partners with other social-service and nonprofit organizations in and around Cumberland County to address other basic human needs. For information, call 931-484-8074 to speak with one of our helpful volunteers.

SACS is now networking with all local human-service agencies and nonprofits, and we follow careful guidelines to ensure no duplication of aid. All SACS volunteers get at least a month’s training, and all interviewers are in compliance with diocesan safe-environment training.

No one in need is turned away without at least a few days’ supply of food, though sometimes we have been hard-pressed to respond to the needs of all who come to us for assistance. But requests for help from our two parishes are always answered. Food-collection barrels at both churches provide canned food on a regular basis.

In 2022, we received more than two tons of food through the Stamp Out Hunger collection. In addition, local grocery stores provide deliveries of meat, bread, fruit, and vegetables twice a week. Nothing is wasted. Even local pigs benefit, as any spoiled food gets donated to area pig farms.

Since our inception, SACS has given out over $1 million in payments and many hundreds of thousands of meals. In our first year in the Red House (1991), we helped 68 households. Eight years later, we served 801 families and fed 1,521 people.

In one recent fiscal year, we provided assistance to 2,733 households, supplying nearly 27,400 meals and $66,838.53 in rent and utility payments. This year, through the generosity of our donors, we hope to surpass those figures—although our ultimate aspiration is for SACS to close its doors for lack of clients in need. But until that happens, we will continue to be the hands and heart of Christ to the communities we serve.

Contact information for St. Alphonsus Parish’s charitable efforts is:
St. Alphonsus Faith Community
151 Saint Alphonsus Way
Crossville, TN 38555
931-484-2358

The parish website is stalonline.org. The parish email is office@stalonline.org.