Catholic Charities Community Services of Rockland Receives a Gift of Art; Spring Wall Mural the Result of Eight Rockland County Artists’ Work
Catholic Charities Community Services of Rockland hosted its annual Blessing of the Soil Family Event on May 4th. The event is designed to celebrate the beginning of the planting season for the garden and greenhouse which provides food for those in need through Catholic Charities in Haverstraw.
The building that houses Catholic Charities contained a large blank wall and the idea was proposed to have a mural painted and then have children color images of fruits and vegetables to be attached to the mural. The Spring Wall mural was painted by a group of seven artists from the Nyack Art Collective including Donna Timm, Trine Giaever, Cass McVety, Lilly Nin, Kate Cahill, Rosie Morris, and Susan Strange. The original sketch was drawn by Richard Smith, a songwriter, illustrator, independent gospel recording artist, worship pastor and retired art educator in the East Ramapo school district who managed to incorporate the thermostat into the small chapel so that it would blend in beautifully.
“We had no idea how much work was going into the mural. We are so grateful for the dedication of these artists and the new wall will go a long way to brightening the spirits of those who come here. We will also continue to have children color the smaller images that will be attached to the wall representing the healthy food we are able to provide to families through our food pantry,” stated Joan Facelle, acting Executive Director. Rockland County Executive Ed Day recently presented each of the artists with a certificate of appreciation for their work.
Catholic Charities Community Services of Rockland has the only food pantry in the Northeast with its own greenhouse which is being used to grow vegetables during the winter months ensuring that those in need of assistance have access to healthy produce all year long. Catholic Charities Community Services of Rockland provides services to people of all ages, from every race and ethnic group from all over the County. The organization’s focus is to provide life necessities, including food, shelter and other emergency assistance to those in need. The compassionate and professional staff speak English, Spanish, French and Creole, and assist people of all ages, races and religions in Rockland County.
In an average year CCCSR:
- Provides 100,000+ meals through the Food Pantry to over 1,000 households, including 5,716 adults, 945 elderly, and 4,352 children
- Distributes 6,000 pounds of fresh vegetables to Food Pantry participants from the Community Garden of Love located on the property along with the greenhouse
- Gets support from 40+ dedicated volunteers help to prepare, bag, and distribute food
“CCCSR envisions a Rockland County where all individuals have the basic necessities – food, shelter and help in time of crisis in order to reach their full potential and lead a life of dignity.” More information can be found at www.ccsrockland.org or by calling (845) 942-5791.
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