Month: December 2023

Hope Center Pantry Spreads Holiday Cheer to Homeless

Joan Koehne

Hope Center Pantry brightened the holidays for 33 homeless families on Dec. 2. The pantry partnered with St. Vincent de Paul, Green Bay, and the Green Bay Packers to host the second annual “Believe” event at St. Agnes.

One hundred children and 66 adults experiencing homelessness attended the holiday event. They enjoyed a turkey dinner, music, and a visit by Green Bay Packers player Jon Runyon. Jon showed everyone the cleats that he wore in a game to show his support of St. Vincent DePaul. The bright blue shoes feature the words SVDP Green Bay, Help Us Help Others and the St. Vincent de Paul logo. Jon participates in the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats initiative, and the cleats show his commitment to St. Vincent de Paul and the homeless they serve. My Cause My Cleats allows players to show their dedication to a cause that’s important to them.

Each family who attended “Believe” received wrapped gifts. Additionally, Hope Center Pantry supplied bags of food to hand out to families. It’s amazing what difference organizations can make when they work together! Hope Center Pantry partners with St. Vincent de Paul and the Green Bay Packers for various initiatives. To get involved at Hope Center, contact us about volunteer opportunities.

Food Assistance: Pantry Serves 1,489 in November

Joan Koehne
ham on a platter like ham that Hope Center Pantry gave to clients as food assistance

The Hope Center Pantry collaborates with the Green Bay West-side Catholic churches to break the cycle of poverty. The mission of the Hope Center is to serve and guide those who are in need, empower and support others. To fulfill this mission, Hope Center Pantry provides nutritious meals for more than a thousand individuals experiencing food insecurity in the Green Bay area.

Putting Turkey, Ham on Holiday Tables

Monthly food assistance provides families with nutritious meals. In November, the panty gave away 33 turkeys to clients, and in December, the panty gave away 24 hams. The turkeys and hams were welcomed additions to clients’ Thanksgiving and Christmas meals.

Providing Food Assistance in 2023

As 2023 comes to an end, the food pantry totaled its food assistance numbers to determine the pantry’s impact on feeding the hungry of Green Bay.

  • In January 2023, Hope Center Pantry served 471 clients representing 1,774 family members.
  • In May 2023, Hope Center Pantry served 593 clients representing 2,319 family members.
  • In August 2023, Hope Center Pantry served 374 clients, representing 1,425 family members.
  • In November 2023, Hope Center Pantry served 417 clients representing 1,489 family members.

Filling Boxes for Hungry Families of All Sizes

Hope Center Pantry, 505 Clinton St., Green Bay WI, permits clients to pick up food for their households once a month. The pantry fills the food assistance boxes of different sizes, based on the size of the client’s family. The cost to fill each box varies, but the approximate costs are:

  • X-Large family – $53.48
  • Large family – $45.10
  • Small family – $32.65
  • Single family – $21.61

Working to End Food Insecurity in Green Bay

Hope Center Pantry volunteers are committed to helping the hungry of Green Bay, Wisconsin. The pantry is working to end food insecurity, helping the hungry be hopeful and well-fed in Brown County. To be a part of Hope Center Pantry, visit How You Can Help for information about donating and volunteering.

The Pecards: Retirement Brings New Purpose

Joan Koehne
Hope Center Volunteers Jim and Holly Pecard and their granddaughter

For some people, retirement represents a time to sit back, relax and talk about the good old days. However, for Jim and Holly Pecard, retirement presented a time for new challenges, a time to give back, and a time to meet new people and to make a difference in some small way in our community.

From Healthcare to Heartfelt Service

Holly retired from nursing in 2020. She was an LPN at HSHS St. Vincent Hospital for over 20 years on the rehab floor. She then transferred to Prevea Health, where she worked for another 20 plus years in spine care. Holly has a strong passion to serve others, combined with a need to have fun while meeting new and interesting people. This led her to a mission of volunteer work.

She started with the Hope Center Pantry in 2020, but soon expanded to volunteer roles as a reader at Lincoln Elementary School, a guide for veterans on the Old Glory Honor Flight, an advocate for students seeking work experience at the ADRC Grounded Café, a camp counselor for challenged campers attending Camp Daniel, and a player guide with the Miracle League. She has also volunteered for special events such as Coats for Kids, the Return to School Readiness Program, and the Toys for Tots program. If you know Holly, she likes to be busy and can build fun into whatever she takes on.

A Social Worker’s Dedication to Community Well-Being

Joining her in this new phase of life, Jim took a similar approach to giving back to the community by doing volunteer work. Jim is a licensed clinical social worker that has worked in the Employee Assistance field for over 40 years. He currently works two days a week for Employee Resource Center Inc. (ERC) providing mental health counseling to employees and their families. Jim has also worked for Kimberly Clark Corporations EAP in Neenah and Family Services of Brown County.

Together in Service at Hope Center Pantry

Like other couples, Jim and Holly enjoy working together at the pantry. Jim was pleasantly surprised when he discovered that several other pantry volunteers were previous coworkers of his. This included Ellen Moran, George Kamps, and Therese Hathway. Jim and Holly recognize how rewarding the pantry work is and find the pantry recipients to be extremely grateful for its services.

Leadership in Church, Scouts and Community

Jim’s other volunteer work includes over 35 years with Boy Scout Troop 1008 and the Knights of Columbus at the Quad Parish. He is also on the Board of Directors for ADRC, and a member of the Brown County Transportation Coordinating Committee.

Beyond Retirement: Jim & Holly’s Volunteer Legacy

Jim and Holly are both from Marinette, Wisconsin, and met in high school. They have been married for 47 years and have two sons, James IV and Matthew. Their pride and joy is their 7-year-old granddaughter, Veronica, who resides with Jim and Maria in Lincoln Park, Illinois. When they are not volunteering, Jim and Holly enjoy spoiling their granddaughter, lying on a Florida beach or spending time at Kelly Lake with family and friends. They are devoted Packer fans that are fortunate to have season tickets. Jim and Holly will tell you that they are blessed in many ways and hope that their volunteer work makes a difference in some small way in another person’s life.