Catholic Charities St. Augustine Aids Families During Pandemic
April 30, 2020 • Diocese of St. Augustine

St. Augustine, Fla. – Catholic Charities St. Augustine Regional Office is seeking food, gift cards and monetary donations to aid those in need during the current pandemic.

All of the office’s traditional programs are fully operational but modified to adapt to the safe-distancing guidelines. The Catholic Charities St. Augustine Food Pantry is located at 3940 Lewis Speedway, Suite 2103, St. Augustine (32084), and is open to the public for food distribution Mondays and Wednesdays, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Thanks to a recent donation of 10,000 masks and gloves from Catholic Charities USA, the St. Augustine office can safely distribute food to those in need in the community.

“During these past few weeks, we have seen a dramatic increase in the need for food and financial assistance,” said Anita Hassell, CEO and director of Catholic Charities for the Diocese of St. Augustine. “It is scary not having enough money to put food on the table or to pay rent. We have seen many new faces, people who have never asked for help before and who never thought they’d be in this position to need help.”

The St. Augustine Office is primarily seeking monetary donations to provide a broader range of assistance, such as helping people pay their rent and utilities. However, they will accept gift cards from Walmart, Target, Winn-Dixie and Publix, as well as the following food items:

  • Canned fruit, meat and soup
  • Cereal
  • 1-lb bag of rice
  • Dry beans
  • Plastic containers of jelly
  • Diapers and baby wipes
  • Feminine hygiene products

Please call (904) 829-6300 to coordinate dropping off food donations. Gift cards and checks can be mailed to 3940 Lewis Speedway, Suite 2103, St. Augustine, FL 32084. Monetary donations can be made by visiting htts://donatenow.networkforgood.org/ccbstaug.

It is important to note that the CARES Act allows taxpayers to deduct up to $300 in charitable donations from your taxable income for donations made in 2020. This deduction can be claimed in your 2021 tax forms without going through the process of itemizing.

“We’re hoping more people can support us, so we can continue helping those in need,” said Hassell. “If we can help someone with even one small thing, we can make a significant difference in their life.”

To learn more about Catholic Charities St. Augustine, visit www.ccbstaug.org.