Our Daily Bread to mark 30 year anniversary on June 1 with ecumenical prayer service

31 May 11 12:00 AM CDT

May 31, 2011-Catholic Charities’ Our Daily Bread meal program will mark its 30 year anniversary by holding an ecumenical prayer service on June 1. The service will be held at 6 p.m. at Our Daily Bread Employment Center located at 725 Fallsway. Archbishop Edwin O’Brien will be joined by Rev. James Green of Psalmist Baptist Church and Rabbi Andrew Busch of Baltimore Hebrew Congregation. A reception will follow the service. Our Daily Bread began on June 1, 1981.

Bill McCarthy, Executive Director of Catholic Charities says, “Our Daily Bread has been a beacon of hope for the poor and working poor since its inception in ’81. People who are hungry have come to rely on us. Our dedicated staff and stalwart volunteers have kept our dining room open every single day since June 1, 1981, and have welcomed each person with compassion and respect, regardless of position, religion, race or circumstances. We cherish the Divine with each and every person. We view the work of serving the hungry as a vocation. The thousands of Baltimoreans who have served the hungry over the last 30 years would agree.

Our Daily Bread is sustained through a corps of volunteers who bake casseroles, work in the kitchen, secure food donations, and serve guests in the dining room. Volunteers are comprised of retirees, students, business workers, and church and synagogue members. Over the 30 years since June 1, 1981, thousands of volunteers a have given generously of their time and talents to provide over 7 million meals to hungry women, men, and children of Baltimore City. An average of 700 guests is served each day. In 2009, 261,841 meals were served and 7 million meals have been served since it opened.

The scope of the meal program grew in 2007 with the opening of Our Daily Bread Employment Center, the nation’s first comprehensive resource center for the poor. The Center provides programs that support moving toward self sufficiency. Programs include Christopher Place Employment Academy, a residential employment program for formerly homeless men; and Our Daily Bread Employment Services that include a job readiness and job placement program. 

• 262,841 meals were served in 2010 and the  number  is expected to grow to 280,000 this year.
• 17,675 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were served in 2010.
• Forty-four (44) individuals in 2010 were placed in jobs with an average wage of $9.47 an hour.
• 1.5 million volunteer hours have been contributed during the past 30 years.
• 450 volunteers work regularly at Our Daily Bread.
• More than 15,000 people, including casserole makers, volunteer annually.

Catholic Charities is Maryland’s leading private provider of human services, welcoming and serving people of all faiths and races. Rooted in faith, the Agency has rich history of effective programs that significantly improve the lives of children and families, seniors, the disadvantaged, and people with developmental disabilities. Catholic Charities serves over 160,000 individuals each year.

More information about Our Daily Bread Hot Meal Program

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