CROS Ministries CEO Ruth Mageria gleans potatoes at Agri-Gators farm in Palm City. CROS Ministries gleaned more than 200 tons of produce during the 2025-26 season. Photo provided
September was Hunger Action Month and local churches and nonprofits rallied around the cause, hosting meetings, food drives and events designed to raise awareness about stressed food pantries and hungry schoolchildren in Palm Beach County.
According to the Palm Beach County Food Bank, more than 192,000 county residents face food insecurity. One person in eight struggles to put food on the table, and one in six children may go to bed hungry tonight.
Kenneth McCoy, the volunteer director of the St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church Care Ministry & Food Pantry, and Grace Fishter, a longtime volunteer with the ministry, hosted a luncheon in the Boca Raton parish’s Mercy Center in August attended by representatives from local ministries and nonprofits.
The organizations learned more about one another’s work, discussed their needs and explored ways to collaborate more effectively.
“One organization can’t serve all the needs,” McCoy said. He invited people who have been working together but who had never met face-to-face to break bread together. “Now we’re texting back and forth, we have each other’s cellphone numbers. It really made a difference.”
Participating organizations included the Farmworker Coordinating Council of Palm Beach County, Spanish River Church, St. Ann Place Outreach Center, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services, Changing Lives, the Salvation Army, Ascension Catholic Church, Catholic Charities and CROS Ministries.
Many churches have food pantries, and food drives are one of the ways they restock the shelves. For example, First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach is holding a food drive through October, while other local churches collect food for their pantries year-round.
Local need is growing, McCoy said.
“A lot more people are reaching out to the church,” McCoy said. “We get a lot of seniors and we get a lot of families, but more working poor and people who have fallen upon bad times are seeking services. A lot of these people never thought they’d be in this situation, but it only takes one minor disaster to send someone into a tailspin.”
CROS Ministries continues to fight the good fight. The nonprofit reported that it rescued 402,582 pounds of fresh produce through 186 gleaning events in Palm Beach and Martin counties during the 2025-26 season. The effort was made possible by 3,278 volunteers.
A portion of the rescued produce is distributed through CROS food pantries and its Caring Kitchen program. Additional produce is shared with distribution partners, including Feeding South Florida, Farm Share, Palm Beach County Food Bank, Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, The Glades Initiative, House of Hope of Martin County, and Tree of Life Resource Center. These organizations help move fresh produce into food pantries, meal programs and other hunger-relief services.
CROS’s annual Hustle to End Hunger run, which this year is Oct. 3 at John Prince Park in Lake Worth Beach, raises awareness and money to feed the hungry. It’s a massive effort: CROS provided food bags to more than 121,000 individuals in 2025.
The most needed food drive items include canned vegetables, canned fruit, canned tuna or chicken, peanut butter, pasta, pasta sauce, rice, dried beans, cereal, oatmeal, macaroni and cheese, canned soups, canned pasta, shelf-stable milk and other pantry staples.
For more information about St. Joan of Arc’s food pantry, visit stjoan.org/wp/ministries/food-pantry/ or call 561-962-6000.
Unity School wins award
Unity School in Delray Beach was recognized in September as South Florida’s sole recipient of the 2026 Association for Middle Level Education School of Distinction honors. The award evaluates how effectively an institution’s culture, curriculum and leadership respond to the physical, social and emotional shifts of early adolescence.
The school, which is run by Unity Church of Delray Beach, is being celebrated as a model for middle-grade excellence, one of just 39 worldwide to achieve this milestone. Unity’s initiatives are designed to integrate character development directly into the academic day in two ways: “Lessons in Living and Leadership” is a specialized curriculum focused on ethical decision-making, resilience, public speaking and practical life skills, while the CommUNITY Group fosters peer mentorship, emotional safety and a sense of belonging.
Genevieve Hoppe, the head of school at Unity, said the honor “validates our commitment to educating the entire child — mind, body and spirit. By prioritizing adolescent well-being alongside academic rigor, we create an environment where middle schoolers don’t just navigate these transitional years; they thrive.”
Unity Church of Delray Beach and Unity School are at 101 NW 22nd St. Call 561-276-5796 or visit unityofdelraybeach.org.
‘On Being Jewish’ on stage
“On Being Jewish Now,” a theatrical presentation by The Braid, takes the stage at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 8 at B’nai Torah Congregation, 6261 SW 18th St., Boca Raton. This adaptation of Zibby Owens’ bestseller is among the first theatrical works to explore the American Jewish experience in a post-Oct. 7 world. Professional actors bring to life true stories of humor, hope, heartbreak and resilience from an array of writers, thinkers and cultural voices. Tickets are $36. Reservations are required at btcboca.shulcloud.com/form/the-braid-october-7.
Cason pumpkin patch back
The annual Pumpkin Patch at Cason United Methodist Church opens with hundreds of orange orbs for sale beginning Oct. 9. But the highlight of the event is the Family Fun Fest from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 17, featuring crafts, story time, a petting zoo and ice cream.
Pumpkins are for sale daily, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday, and 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Friday through Oct. 31.
Call 561-276-5302 or visit casonumc.org.
Holly House opening
It’s time to shop!
For the 57th year, the women at First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach devoted thousands of hours preparing for the annual Holly House Holiday Gift Shop Special Opening Weekend that takes place 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Oct. 16-17. The shelves are bursting with handcrafted treasures, seasonal décor and one-of-a-kind gifts. The shop is open 10 a.m.-noon Tuesdays and Thursdays through Dec. 17 and 10 a.m.-noon Saturdays from Nov. 28 to Dec. 19. Proceeds support church ministries. Holly House has its own building behind the church at 33 Gleason St., Delray Beach. Call 561-276-6338 or visit firstdelray.com.
Music from the movies
The final Delray First concert is offered at 4 p.m. Oct. 25 at First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach, 33 Gleason St., and showcases the music from the silver screen. The First Delray Singers and Phil Hinton perform music from the movies we love. Tickets are $20 each at firstdelray.com/concerts/reserve-concert-tickets/.
Celebrate the 100th anniversary of ‘Phantom’
St. Gregory's Episcopal Church celebrates the 100th anniversary of the iconic 1925 silent film “The Phantom Of The Opera” with a screening and live performance by Tim Brumfield, St. Gregory's director of music ministries, on the Austin pipe organ. The event takes place in the sanctuary at 7 p.m. Oct. 30 at the church, 100 NE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton.
Admission is free and tickets are not needed.
For a deeper experience, the church offers Behind the Curtain beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the organ loft, which includes an in-depth exploration into how Brumfield creates the musical score followed by a champagne reception in the courtyard.
Tickets are $75. Festive attire is encouraged. For tickets, email office@st-gregorys.com or call 561-395-8285.
— Janis Fontaine
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