MaryAnn Giannettino enjoys a close relationship with new moms seeking help at St. Elizabeth of Hungary parish in Melville. Many of the women are immigrants who stop by regularly for diapers and formula.
“We think it’s so important to build a relationship of trust and love,” said Giannettino, who directs Parish Social Ministry at St. Elizabeth’s. “We love them like they are ours.”
Giannettino and her volunteers receive a lot of assistance from other parish groups.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Men of St. Elizabeth group put their Catholic faith into action when PSM faced a growing need for diapers and baby formula. The shortage wasn’t lost on the men, as nearly all are fathers with families. Members make goodwill offerings every few months to defray diaper costs.
With Christmas approaching, MoSE and the parish’s Respect Life Committee stepped up to lead the Adopt a Family project. Gifts of $500 came from Knights of Columbus Council 5753 and MoSE, plus about $450 in gift cards.
Mother Kathy is bonding with her baby daughter Madeline. The Adopt a Family gift enabled the family to pay their monthly rent and purchase diapers and formula. It was timely because mom has been unable to work outside the home due to complications from her pregnancy.
The Men of St. Elizabeth raised another $1,500 for the moms and their families. Cash gifts of $50 were given to 17 women, with $600 more earmarked for diapers and wipes. One member gave $88, the total held in his now-emptied coin bank.
“We’ve been regularly providing our Outreach ministry with money to buy diapers and necessities for mothers in need,” director Tom LaMagna explained. “It hit us in mid-November, after talking to the Respect Life team, that if these moms have to come into Outreach for diapers, they must need so much more.
“At that moment, as men and fathers, we made the decision to try and do more. Within two weeks, MoSE collected almost $2,000 out of our own pocket. Isn’t this what Catholic men are supposed to do?”
Giannettino called the support for life from the three parish groups “so beautiful.” A line on the envelopes given to each woman thanked them for being such “a wonderful mom.”
“They cried, every one of them,” she said.
The parish’s pastor, Father Irinel Racos, was impressed with how the groups at St. Elizabeth of Hungary worked cooperatively to supply the funding.
Dave Klaum, a board member of Catholic Charities of Long Island who is a member of MoSE, had a key role in the organization’s early response to the new moms. Rockville Centre Bishop John O. Barres had encouraged the Catholic Charities board to collaborate more closely with Parish Social Ministry.
Giannettino reached out directly to Catholic Charities for help when the diaper shortfall first became known.
Life is hard to navigate without support, so Giannettino and her volunteers do more than distribute diapers. They stay in touch with the moms and refer them to other opportunities for help. The willingness to help is a natural expression of her Catholic faith.
“When someone is struggling as hard as they do…I think we’re saying, ‘We see you. You are not alone, and we’re going to take care of you,’” she said.