ROME — After a student recently saw a local news report about the need for food at the Rome Rescue Mission, the Notre Dame Junior/Senior High School Food Pantry responded by sending out much-needed items, said Notre Dame Campus Minister Robert McQueen.

Notre Dame students visited the rescue mission Dec. 21, delivering five large bins of food, including coffee, pasta, sauce, canned soup and canned vegetables.

“Our campus ministry mission statement is, ‘With Jesus as our role model, we strive to improve the quality of life. We reach out with a loving heart to serve our community by responding to their needs through prayer and good works.’” McQueen said. “We have served Rome and Utica rescue missions in the past as well as the Utica Food Pantry, Mother Marianne’s Kitchen, Hope House of Utica, just to name a few.”

The food pantry opened at the Notre Dame Junior/Senior High School in Utica in the fall of 2021 under the leadership of its Campus Ministry team. They are dedicated to serving their own Notre Dame families first, McQueen explained, and then reach out to area community members in need as well.

“We have a team of 20 students who oversee the operation and keep the pantry stocked throughout the year with the donations from all our students,” McQueen said. “I can tell you our students feel good about what they do afterwards.”

To make a donation to the Notre Dame Food Pantry, call McQueen at 315-724-5118, ext. 17 or email him at rmcqueen@notredameutica.org. Canned goods, pasta, sauce and soups are the best, he noted, and they do not have refrigeration so items like meat, cheese, eggs and milk are not usable.

The Rome Rescue Mission serves some 200 meals a day and also has an 18-bed shelter for women and children. Monetary donations are always welcome and checks can be mailed to PO Box 337, Rome NY 13440. For more information, visit www.romemission.org.