Welcoming the Stranger, One Meal at a Time

Mary, Mother of the Church parish in East New York, Brooklyn, has expanded a migrant support ministry from a small Saturday barbecue into a program serving up to 200 people weekly. The ministry began in the summer of 2022 following the arrival of families from Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, and Central America.

The program started when a Venezuelan mother requested assistance after Mass. What began as informal cookouts on the rectory patio moved into the parish hall by the fall to accommodate growing needs. The parish now hosts Sunday Community Dinners to provide food and community to migrants who may not find similar support in the city shelter system. During the first Thanksgiving, immigrant families cooked and served meals for the parishioners.