SALT LAKE CITY — "Serving those most in need can bring a smile to anyone’s face" – that was the common refrain from the young Catholic adults after volunteering at Saint Vincent de Paul Dining Hall in Salt Lake City. On April 2, about 20 young adults gathered at 3 p.m. to prepare the meals that would be served to the 500 to 700 guests who go daily to the soup kitchen, receiving possibly the only meal that they will have that day. The food is served through the Dinner at Vinny’s program from Catholic Community Services, which serves a supper of hot soup and sandwich free of charge. The young adults’ volunteer work was organized by Samantha Almanza, director of the Diocese of Salt Lake City’s Youth and Young Adult Ministry. "It’s really important that we are here today because we are all called to be disciples and to live as Jesus would live, and Jesus always served the poor in the Gospel," Almanza said. The young Catholics shared the afternoon of volunteering with members of various wards of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "We have found that we have a lot of common. We have shared a lot of laughter and high fives," said Almanza. The young adults also heard the stories of those who benefited from their volunteer work, such as James Howell. "It’s the only place that I know that give me free food," said Howell, who is in his 80s, homeless and jobless. "It’s not the best food, but if it was not here I wouldn’t eat at all." They also met Lynnette, who was on meth two years ago, but now volunteers at the dining hall, serving "the people that haven’t been able to find their way or simply haven’t had the luck that I had," said Lynnette, who declined to give her last name. For her, Catholic Community Services was the light at the end of the tunnel. "I was really in bad shape and with nothing, and now that has changed," said Lynnette, who has found a steady job and lives in a small apartment. Dinner at Vinny’s (formerly the Salvation Army Soup Kitchen) serves a free dinner to any person visiting the St. Vincent de Paul Dining Hall from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., every night. Some are homeless, some not, others underemployed, and others are out of a job completely. Some are adults, some are children. "We volunteer to make sure that the people receive compassionate attention and to show them that we live in a community that cares about their needs no matter what circumstances brought them there. They can be warm and even watch some TV," said Joe Williams, who has been volunteering at the dining hall for over five years. "Hunger is just a fact of life nowadays." Students, scout troops, members of book clubs, neighborhood associations, merchants, church groups and individuals from all walks of life have been a part of the Dinner at Vinny’s effort, which had its start in 1982 at the Wasatch Presbyterian Church. Later, the Salvation Army assumed responsibility for organizing the meals. In 2012 the Salvation Army discontinued the program, but a bunch of people from the community, together with CCS, stepped in to continue it, calling it Dinner at Vinny’s. Now CCS staff, together with a citizen board, is responsible for fundraising and support, and for the coordination of the meal service. "This service is very important because we are being able to provide food for people that can’t provide it for themselves," said Almanza. To volunteer or donate to Catholic Community Service’s Dinner at Vinny’s, email volunteer@dinneratvinnys.org or visit www.dinneratvinnys.org.
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