If you are homeless or hungry in the neighborhood, Del Catunao and other volunteers will serve you a delicious Sunday dinner. For his decades of service to the hungry and his ceaseless support of the Sisters of Providence, Del has been named the 2024 recipient of the Mother Joseph Award.
“Del is dedicated to the care of the poor especially the homeless and the hungry,” explained the members of the Sophia Community in their nomination. “Since 1979, he has served the homeless in the Seattle area as a volunteer for the Blessed Sacrament Parish Sunday Feed-In, most of these years as the Coordinator, working many hours each week fundraising, recruiting volunteers and organizing the Sunday dinners.” Del is a “connector” who invites inviting local restaurants, grocery stores and bakeries to donate food. Volunteers come not only from Catholic parishes but also from other church congregations and organizations. Many Sisters of Providence have volunteered at the Feed-In over the years.
As many as 500 people have been served on a Sunday. When necessary, as in during the pandemic, meals were delivered via take-out containers.
In addition to the Sunday dinner, Del and his team have set up other support services. Student nurse volunteers check blood pressures, provide first-aid as well as simple wound care, health consultations and referrals. The team opened a library and recruited social workers to help clients access needed services.
For the Sisters of Providence who live in the Seattle area, Del provides computer and cell phone assistance, making sure that sisters have computer access and technical assistance. He is renowned for his patience and ability to teach Sisters what they need to do to use the computer effectively.
“In Del, we see an ordinary man accomplishing extraordinary things, following in the footsteps of Jesus, his mother Mary, the Apostles and disciples and all those who have done so since Jesus showed us how to love God and love our neighbors,” said the Sophia Community.