The Father McKenna Center

We're less than a month away from our 8th annual ! Join us on Sunday, September 28th as we celebrate Fr. McKenna's legacy while walking in his footsteps through the neighborhoods he served. Registration will open at 8:30am, with the walk beginning at 9:30am. This year we're excited to be offering both our traditional 5k walk as well as a shorter option for those who would prefer it! Your participation in the walk will help us continue to provide critical services to the guests of our day program and patrons of our food pantry.

We look forward to seeing you on the 28th! Sign up to walk today on our website: FatherMcKennaCenter.org/Walk4McKenna/

We're doing a day early this week as we celebrate an important anniversary of a McKenna Man we know well - current Father McKenna Center Executive Director Dennis Dee.

Ten years ago today, on August 28th, 2014, Dennis walked through the doors of the McKenna Center for the first time as a client - a former lawyer and investment banker who lost his livelihood to addiction and found himself living on the street. Working with our case management team, Dennis quickly found purpose at the Center, and by that December had found housing and joined the Center's staff. Today, Dennis walked through the doors of the McKenna Center a new man, just a few days from celebrating the end of his eighth month leading the Center.

"The Staff and Community of the McKenna Center were key to my recovery and success during and following my time as a client here. I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to return to the Center and continue to spread the love and support that was so graciously extended to me. As said in Ephesians 2:8-9, Mine is a story of grace and faith working together." - Dennis

Yesterday, our friends at John S. Mulholland Family Foundation, Inc. came by the Center to drop of over 9,000 cans of food from their Summer food drive! We're so grateful for the John S. Mulholland Family Foundation's continued support of the center - and to our great volunteers who helped us quickly unload and sort this incredible donation!

Come volunteer with us in our food pantry over the next few weeks to help distribute this donation to our guests! Sign up today in our bio.

This week, we've been sharing some words of support along with our usual distribution of hygiene kits, thanks to these hygiene kits donated by the Hygiene Project and assembled by The Congressional Award.

Each hygiene kit contains shampoo/conditioner, body wash, a washcloth, a toothbrush, and some toothpaste. Combined with the other materials that we distribute to our clients, the kits help to ensure that our guests have what they need to get through their day. These kits have an added bonus of some kind words for the guests, kindly added by The Congressional Award during their packing process.

Thanks for your continued support!

Yesterday, we welcomed former JVC April Cooke (Pictured here with current IVC Don Kisicki) back to the center to join us for a day of volunteering! April served as our Food Pantry Coordinator as a member of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps before entering medical school 3 years ago.

When asked about her time with April, Current Food Pantry and Volunteer Manager Emily Dold said:

"While she joined our team during the height of the pandemic and distancing made connection difficult for many, April's cheerful and kind personality was well received by her visitors. So much so that our visitors ask about her even three years later! We are so grateful that April used her one day off this month to come volunteer and reconnect with us here."

April is part of a long line of former JVCs who have remained involved with the Center after completing their service with us - we look forward to welcoming her back again soon!

Yesterday, we were blessed to see Hypothermia Graduate and Darren Staton, who came by to say hello to our staff and see what we've been up to! Center Executive Director Dennis Dee was Hypothermia Monitor for Darren's 2015-2016 Hypothermia class, where they built their strong friendship.

Today, Darren has a stable job and lives at home with his wife and children. We're so thrilled to hear about Darren's continued success and can't wait to see him again soon.

Have your own story about a friendship made or started at the McKenna Center? Tell us about it in the comments!

As part of their start-of-year formation, we've been joined this week by the Gonzaga Sports Football team, with players spending time volunteering in our Day Program, Clothing Closet, and Food Pantry. Over the course of two days, they had the opportunity to serve meals to and speak with our clients, as well as helping patrons through our food pantry and learning about the history of the McKenna Center from our staff.

Thanks for joining us, and go 🦅! The McKenna Center's patrons and staff look forward to cheering you on this fall.

Gonzaga College High School

A huge thanks to our friends at who hosted members of our team for their annual partner meeting! Our team had a blast meeting representatives from our peer organizations providing similar services around the Capital region. We also got to learn some more about CAFB's new programs focused on wraparound care for the people we and other organizations serve.

We would not be able to provide the same quality of service to our Food Pantry patrons or our Day Program guests without the support of the Capital Area Food Bank. Please join us in thanking them for all that they do!

REMINDER: Registration for the 8th Annual is now open!

This year's walk will take place on September 28th, with registration opening at 8:30am and the walk starting at 9:30am. Sign up today on our website: https://fathermckennacenter.org/Walk4McKenna - or through the link in our bio!

Back by popular demand, we're excited to announce the 8th Annual ! Join us on Saturday, September 28th to follow in Fr. McKenna's footsteps and raise money to support the McKenna Center's continued services. Your support this year will enable us to continue to provide healthy meals and case management services to our day program guests, as well as much needed groceries and support to the patrons of our food pantry.

We're excited to see you on the 28th - Register to walk, or to be a sponsor, on our website today! FatherMcKennaCenter.org/Walk4McKenna

Caution: Staff at work!

This morning some of our "back of house" staff: Director of Operations Adam Vogt, Volunteer and Food Pantry Manager Emily Dold, and Executive Director Dennis Dee (left to right) joined Kitchen Manager Russell Byrd (far right) to serve breakfast to our day program guests.

Dennis says that "finding opportunities to interact with and directly serve the Men keeps us connected to why we're here, and allows us to continue the relationships we've built with our guests. [Dennis] believes the strength of these relationships between our staff, volunteers, and guests in both the day program and the food pantry is one of the ways we best carry on Fr. McKenna's legacy."

Happy Friday! Today we've got a of one of our regular volunteers, Darlene McGraw. Darlene joins us every week on Tuesdays, where she welcomes Day Program guests at reception and assists us in preparing lunch. She also registers new households for our Food Pantry and guides them through the Pantry!

Volunteer and Food Pantry Manager Emily Dold (pictured here with Darlene) says "Darlene is truly engaged in this organization's mission and is a great team member. She greets everyone with a smile, laughter, and truly listens to them all. Darlene makes people feel at home by talking to them about their lives and families. She is a bright and encouraging spirit for all of our volunteers, especially our students."

Thank you for all that you do, Darlene! We're excited to have you back in the Center soon.

Over the past two weeks, we've been lucky to have Victor, a new Jesuit Scholastic, helping out around the center. Victor has become a fast favorite among the staff, with his great sense of humor and positive attitude. We're thankful we'll have Victor with us for a few more weeks - though Kitchen Manager Russell already says he'll miss Victor once he's gone!

Victor has been sitting down and chatting with our guests during meals, and says listening to the stories of our clients has been a meaningful part of his time with us.

Thank you to our friends in the Jesuit Community at Gonzaga for sharing Victor with us. Please join us in wishing Victor luck and blessings as he continues through his Novitiate!

Happy Monday! Today, we're catching up with Theodore Penamon, who came by the Center this past week to say hello to Director of Services Cortez and our other staff.

Theodore first walked through the doors of the Father McKenna Center a decade ago, working with our Case Management team and using the various other services the Center provides to get back on his feet. A graduate of the Hypothermia Transition Program, Theodore today has a fully established life - he has a car and a place of his own, and works as facilities staff for Georgetown University. We're so proud of how far Theodore has come - and we're excited to see what's next for him!

Yesterday morning, our friends at the Phoenix Park Hotel kindly dropped off food donations and reusable bags from their food drive. A huge thanks to the Phoenix Park, and to the College High School Immersion group, pictured here with Phoenix Park Assistant GM Dustin Seraile, who helped us receive the donation.

Want to support the Center with a food drive of your own? Shoot us a DM to learn more about how you and your community can collect donations. Gonzaga College High School Campus Ministry

Please join us (and pictured IVC volunteer Don Kisicki) in wishing happy birthday to Staff Assistant James Jones! A , James completed the 2019-2020 Hypothermia program, and successfully secured housing and employment upon graduating. In late 2020, James joined the team at the Father McKenna Center, where he now is a vital part of our day-to-day operations. Thank you James for everything you do!

Sign up to volunteer today and meet the McKenna Men - past and present - that continue the work of Fr. McKenna every day!

With our friend, JSM’s Venious Parker (in truck) and the Men of Gonzaga College High School unloading several hundred pounds of meat, poultry and baked goods from the good folks at Giant Food in Brentwood. Very efficient delivery today coordinated by the great Cortez McDaniel of The Father McKenna Center.

This past Saturday, June 1, was , and to celebrate we received a donation of roughly 100 half gallons of milk from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's AMS Dairy Program! Pictured above is Food Pantry Manager Emily Dold, alongside USDA AMS Dairy Program Deputy Administrator Dana Coale.

As part of our Food Pantry's efforts to provide diverse, fresh, and healthy options to our patrons, guests are offered milk and eggs every time they shop. These half-gallons will be distributed in the Food Pantry throughout this week. Thanks again to our friends at the U.S. Department of Agriculture for this generous donation!

Happy Tuesday! Today's comes from last week, when the John S. Mulholland Family Foundation, Inc. helped facilitate an 8,000 pound donation of food from Saint Peter's Parish - Olney, Maryland. Thank you to St Peter's Parish and the John S. Mulholland Family Foundation for this generous donation! And thanks to the Gonzaga College High School student volunteers who helped us unload all 8000 lbs.

Want to organize a food drive in your neighborhood? Shoot us a message! Or sign up to volunteer in the Food Pantry and see how we distribute generous donations like these.

This morning, rising Gonzaga College High School Senior and Eagle Scout candidate Malcolm Wyatt dropped off a donation of over 500 items of clothing!

"As we move into the warmer months, one of the greatest needs our clients face is comfortable, clean clothing. Thanks to Malcolm's efforts, we'll be able to clothe dozens of our clients over the coming weeks." - Center Executive Director Dennis Dee.

Thank you Malcolm for your hard work and generosity! We're excited to see you and your classmates at the Center throughout the summer.

Today our clients had the opportunity to get free legal services through McKenna's Legal Advocates. McKenna Board Member Dan Collopy, together with partner Stephanie Fell, join us every Tuesday morning to provide services to day program guests, as well as coming to the every other Thursday!

McKenna's Legal Advocates also spend time with clients of some of our partner organizations throughout the city, helping underserved populations with their legal needs. Thank you Dan and Stephanie for all that you do!

Today at the Center we had a surprise - a Trans-Atlantic visit from Father McKenna's Grandniece, Terri Place!

Terri spoke with Volunteer and Food Pantry Manager Emily (pictured above), Executive Director Dennis, and Board Member and Gonzaga Jesuit Community Superior Fr. Geib, SJ, about the work her organization, , does to help children from families affected by HIV/AIDS, mental illness, and poverty in Tanzania. It seems like serving the poor and needy are in the blood of the McKenna family!

We're incredibly grateful to Terri for swinging by, and for all the volunteers, clients, and visitors who have been able to share their experiences with Father McKenna with us over the years. Thanks again for visiting! Maybe our staff will come visit you in Tanzania soon.

Happy Monday! This past weekend, we wrapped up a week-long immersion visit from . The Gannon Students were able to get a full experience during their time here - serving breakfast and lunch to our day program guests, helping in the food pantry, touring the US Capitol, and visiting some of DC's great museums.

While here, the Gannon students also helped us assemble some new grocery carts! Thanks to a generous grant from , we're now able to offer these carts to our food pantry patrons, allowing them to safely transport home enough food to stay well-fed between visits.

We're incredibly grateful to our volunteers and immersion groups like those from Gannon University, and for the support of our partners like Capital Area Food Bank - we wouldn't be able to provide the services we do without you! We hope to see you back at the Center soon.

In today's we're celebrating two long-time presences at the center - Sister Barbara Bartlett (left) and IVC Volunteer Abbie Nuccio (right). For many years, Sister Barbara and Abbie have been weekly fixtures at the Center, with Sister Barbara joining us on Mondays, and both her and Abbie on Fridays. Together, they help our chef, Russell, prepare meals and keep the kitchen in working order.

Sister Barbara tackles the job of sorting our partner bread donations and doing some deep maintenance cleaning of the kitchen every week - allowing us to keep providing meals to our guests without interruption. Abbie has a talent for finding ways to incorporate our varied donations into delicious meals for the Men - guests and staff are always excited for Friday lunchtime to see what she's helped Russell create!

Do you have good memories from your time volunteering with Abbie and Sister Barbara? Share them with us in the comments! Or sign up to volunteer today to come see these two in action.

Patrons of the Center are eating well today thanks to a 535 pound food donation from the John S. Mulholland Family Foundation, Inc. last week! A huge thanks to the Mulholland Foundation, and to the volunteers who helped us unload and sort the donation - including long-time volunteer Don Kisicki, pictured here.

Come see how this donation helps us serve men experiencing homelessness and families experiencing food insecurity by signing up to today! We look forward to seeing you at the Center 🙂

It's at , and we're thrilled to share that proceeds from the week will be going to the Father McKenna Center. Check out some of the best outfits we saw on Monday - USA Day!

We're halfway through the week, and the SGA has already collected over $2,000 for the Center!

Haven't had the chance to give yet? will be collecting cash donations before class starts tomorrow and Friday morning. Or, if you'd like to support from home, you can donate on our website - remember to dedicate the donation to "Gonzaga SGA" so they can add it to their tally!

This past weekend, McKenna Center volunteer Michael Dee provided "Geek Squad" style technology support to long term McKenna Center client David K. David first visited the center in 2015, and became a regular client while working with our Case Managers. David's effort paid off, and he now lives in public housing, and remains a McKenna Center food pantry patron - we love catching up with David when he comes in and seeing what he's up to.

We love hearing about the relationships our make with our clients. Have one of your own? Tell us about it in the comments! Or sign up to volunteer today and meet a new friend while serving breakfast, lunch, or helping in the food pantry.

On this we're giving a huge thanks to our friends at who kindly made us some delicious fish cakes a few weeks ago with the leftover fish from their fish fry. They were a crowd favorite! Thanks for your support and generosity :)

The Father McKenna Center Spring 2024 Newsletter is here!! We're excited to share with you what we've been up to over the past few months - read more and subscribe here: conta.cc/3TXVlua .

This our staff is celebrating the warm weather as we unload canned/dry goods and produce from our partners at ! Some of this delivery will be distributed to our food pantry guests, while some will be transformed by our kitchen team, led by Kitchen Manager Russell, into the meals served every day at the center.

Want to see this delivery in action yourself? Sign up to volunteer today on our website!