The PSM Pantry assists families in our parish and community who are receiving Food Stamps or have incomes that meet the federal poverty level guidelines with personal hygiene and household items.
What are those poverty guidelines?
A family of 4 income is no more than $22,050.00 a year.
A family subsidized with Food Stamps can only make a certain amount of income each month, depending upon the size of the family; a car (considered an asset) can only be valued around $5,000.
What items does the pantry supply?
Laundry detergent
Dish detergent
Cleaning liquid (disinfectant)
Bar soap
Toothpaste
Shampoo
Conditioner
Baby wash
Baby wipes
Paper towels
Why are only these items in the pantry?
Food Stamps only cover food items
Personal hygiene is important for healthy families No other pantry in Round Rock carries these items
Guests of the pantry can receive these items every 6 weeks
The PSM Pantry Needs Your Help
The pantry hours have been cut in half (Tuesday and Wednesday from 10:00-12:00) because the pantry is low on supplies each week. Sometimes our volunteers have to turn people away like:
Paula who is elderly and cares for her disabled 50 year old daughter.
Gina’s family with 5 children whose husband lost his job in construction.
Mary a single mom with 2 children who is trying to make it on a minimum wage job.
Jose who works 2 jobs to pay rent and utilities
The gospels call each of us to take care of the poor and the vulnerable, to love our neighbor as ourselves and to share our goods with those who do not have. (Mt 25; Mt 22; Mk 10; Lk 6)
Please bring pantry items to Mass each week so those in need can receive and accept your generosity.
What is human trafficking?
It is when one person obtains or holds another person in compelled service.
This compelled service uses a number of different terms: involuntary servitude, slavery, debt bondage and forced labor.
Major Forms of Human Trafficking:
Forced Labor:The majority of human trafficking in the world takes this form of forced labor. For every one person subjected to forced prostitution nine people are forced to work or in involuntary servitude. Immigrants are particularly vulnerable, but individuals also may be forced into labor in their own country. Sex Trafficking: Someone who is forced, coerced, or deceived into prostitution. This includes the sale of human beings without their knowledge on the black market. Forced labor of a child: The sale/kidnapping of children to work in factories, farms, and servants. This includes the taking of children from their homes and forced to become soldiers. Bonded Labor: This includes debt bondage of migrants where abuses of contracts and hazardous conditions of employment are common place. Illegal costs and large debt payments within their own country with the support of labor agencies and employers in the destination country, migrants are forced to work for years and never get out of debt. Many live in sub-standard housing by the employer, are beaten and isolated. Involuntary domestic servitude: The workplace is informal and is connected to their off-duty living quarters and these quarters are not shared with other workers. These people are often living in isolation and have very little choice.
Human trafficking has made a dramatic resurgence in recent years.
The U.S. State Department in their 2010 report on human trafficking estimates that 12.3 million adults and children are currently held in modern-day slavery, including forced labor and prostitution.
The United States for the first time has been added to the ranking, based on the same standards which other countries are judged.
Human trafficking is the third largest criminal enterprise worldwide, behind trafficking in drugs and weapons.
Only 4,166 successful prosecutions of human traffickers in 2009
Prevalence of trafficking victims in the world is 1.8 / 1,000
Prevalence in Asia and the Pacific is 3/1,000 inhabitants.
Catholic Social Teaching: Human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. This belief is the foundation of all the principles of social teaching. The measure of every institution is whether it threatens or enhances the life and dignity of the human person. (Catholic Relief Services; U.S. State Department)
To find a list of 122 goods or products from 58 countries that are produced by forced labor/child labor go to: www.dol.gov/ilab/programs/ocft/2009tvpra.pdf from the U.S. Department of Labor.