A local family can sponsor a night of food and dignity

For the Stead family, Friday pizza night has long been a celebration of family, gratitude, and making it through the week together. When Aaron and Nicole Stead learned about St. Vincent de Paul's Family Evening Meal (FEM), they saw the perfect opportunity to combine that tradition with another core family value: giving back.

For Aaron and Nicole, the tradition was rooted in their own childhoods. Growing up in working-class families, Friday night pizza was a special way to mark the end of the week and spend time together. When they became parents, they continued the tradition with their own children.

“It's really a core value of the Stead family. It feels like the more you give, the more you get,” Aaron said. “It's an important aspect of parenting to us, continuing the generational understanding of how important giving is and recognizing how blessed we are.”

“You can talk about it as much as you want, but getting young kids involved in serving at an early age sets a foundation for later in life,” Nicole added.

After hearing about SVdP's Friday Pizza Nights, Aaron saw an opportunity to honor a family tradition while helping others. For some families, the meal helps stretch a tight budget and frees up resources for other necessities. For others, it can be a gateway to longer-term support through SVdP's family services.

In addition to volunteering in the dining room, the Steads made an even greater impact by sponsoring the evening, funding both the meal and the operations that make Family Evening Meal possible.

“It just feels like a very small thing that we can do to bring a little hope or happiness into these families' day,” Nicole said. “It's humbling to be able to help. It may seem small, but I'm sure it means a lot to them.”

Bella Etheridge, a philanthropy officer at SVdP, said sponsoring an evening at FEM is a meaningful way to create a legacy of compassion and service within a family or group.

“One of the things I love most about FEM sponsorships is that donors don't just write a check and hope it makes a difference,” she said. “They provide warm, nutritious meals and helpful resources for families who need them, then get to meet those families and see their generosity in action. That firsthand connection tends to stay with you long after the evening is over.”

When the Steads arrived, they gloved up and began serving pizza to families. To preserve dignity and create a welcoming experience, FEM serves meals diner-style: families are seated, volunteers take their orders, and meals are delivered directly to their tables.

Aaron and Nicole especially enjoy watching their children interact with and serve the families, and they have already seen the experience shape their character.

“We're a family of faith, so the connection between faith and meeting basic needs like food, water, and shelter is very powerful,” Aaron said. “The mission SVdP fulfills is fantastic. I couldn't recommend it more.”

The Steads encourage others to get involved as well. Sponsoring and volunteering at a Family Evening Meal is a meaningful way to serve alongside loved ones, connect with the community, and help create a welcoming evening for families in need.

To learn more about sponsoring FEM, visit: https://stvincentdepaul.net/give/sponsor-FEM