We launched our statewide food drive!

The morning of Oct. 1, 2025 buzzed with energy as volunteers handed out steaming cups of coffee, Starbucks pastries, and surprise gift cards, while others plated hot breakfasts with care for the hundreds of guests filling St. Vincent de Paul’s Phoenix Dining Room, one of SVdP's four charity dining rooms in the Valley. Uplifting blues music from local band Chicano Blues Syndicate carried through the space, creating a welcoming atmosphere. That day, it wasn’t just another morning meal — it was the launch of Feeding Our Neighbors Together, SVdP’s largest-ever statewide food drive.

The drive harnesses the power of community, uniting partners and groups across Arizona, to combat the increase in food insecurity by raising $2.5 million more to support SVdP’s food mission and collecting 500,000 pounds of additional food. Currently, SVdP delivers 189,000 food boxes each year, and this drive will increase access to an additional 120,000 more food boxes annually.

Our dining room has always been a place of nourishment and hope,” said Shannon Clancy, Rob and Melani Walton Endowed CEO. “Today’s celebration was about more than food. It was about dignity, joy, and reminding our neighbors that they are not alone. With Feeding Our Neighbors Together food drive, we’re inviting the entire state to be part of this mission to fight hunger.

The need in Arizona is urgent. According to Feeding America, more than 1 million Arizonans face food insecurity — including 1 in 7 adults and 1 in 5 children. Demand at Arizona’s food banks has grown by 25% since 2020, rising from 450,000 people per month to more than 600,000. With food prices and the overall cost of living climbing, families living paycheck-to-paycheck are struggling more than ever to keep food on the table.

St. Vincent de Paul has been feeding our community for decades, and we cannot ignore the alarming reality these numbers reveal,” said Cande de Leon, SVdP’s Chief Mission Engagement Officer. “No child, no parent, no senior should have to wonder where their next meal will come from. We are stepping up because we have the reach across the state and know how to meet this moment of great need, but we can’t do it alone. Feeding Our Neighbors Together is about uniting Arizona so that no one has to go to bed hungry.

The celebratory atmosphere highlighted the heart of SVdP’s mission. Guests enjoyed a tasty breakfast, tapping their feet to live music, laughing with tablemates, and lighting up when they received McDonald’s gift cards. Volunteers, including many students from Grand Canyon University, served each plate with dignity and care. 

SVdP is positioned well to meet Arizona's rising food need with more than 80 community pantries across northern and central Arizona. The nonprofit comes with a ready-made network of Vincentian volunteers delivering food assistance directly to families and individuals, and it has deep connections with partners across the state to extend support statewide. This infrastructure ensures food gets where it is needed most, quickly and with compassion.

That same compassion was felt at SVdP's Phoenix Dining Room. While the dining room serves thousands of people every day, the launch was a powerful reminder that our neighbors have a community that cares for them and will continue to show up as times of need grow. The new drive will help ensure this vital service — along with food boxes delivered by Vincentian volunteers — reaches even more families facing hunger.

Through Feeding Our Neighbors Together, SVdP is calling on community members, schools, businesses, faith groups, and networks statewide to unite in addressing this growing crisis. Food collected in each community will stay local, distributed through SVdP’s community pantries and ensuring neighbors directly benefit from the generosity of their communities.

When the community comes together, small acts of kindness add up to a big impact. A $25 gift or 15 donated food items can fill a food box to feed a family of four for 2–3 days.

Times of great need call for bold action,” Clancy said. “Together, we can make sure no neighbor goes hungry.

Ways to get involved:

• Host a drive: Schools, businesses, and faith groups can launch food drives to support Feeding Our Neighbors Together. Collect 1,000 pounds or more of food to join SVdP’s 1,000 Pound Club.
• Start a fundraiser with your friends, family, or coworkers to collect money for Feeding our Neighbors Together.
• Give online at this link: A $25 gift fills a food box.
• Donate food at SVdP’s main lobby located at 2120 S. 3rd Dr., Phoenix, AZ 85003 OR at any of SVdP’s four charity dining rooms. 

(15 nonperishable items can feed a family of four for 2–3 days)