Outreach
Loaves and Fishes
Loaves & Fishes Outreach Ministries serves vulnerable individuals in two of Albany’s most economically challenged neighborhoods. While the weekly meal program is central to the work, the mission goes beyond food, offering dignity, connection, and compassionate care to neighbors facing poverty and food insecurity.
Entirely volunteer-run and supported by parishes across the diocese, including St. Paul’s, Loaves & Fishes provides Christ-centered service that nourishes both body and spirit.
Every Saturday, we:
- Serve hot, nutritious meals prepared with care and respect
- Distribute clean, seasonal clothing and essential personal items
- Provide pantry bags and basic groceries
- Connect guests with support services that uplift, empower, and educate
- Foster community, offering belonging and hope
The need is significant and growing, with more than 400 meals and 130 pantry bags shared each week (rising from under 6,000 meals in 2019 to more than 22,170 in 2025).
Volunteers are the heart of this ministry. If you feel called to serve, we would love to have you join us.
How to Join
Simply come to volunteer any Saturday at 9:00 AM at St. Francis Mission, 498 Clinton Avenue, Albany.
Contact
Contact
Focus Garden & Food Pantry
Our Garden & Food Pantry Ministry supports local hunger-relief efforts through fresh produce and parish-wide food donations. This past summer, our church garden yielded an abundant harvest of basil and more than 70 tomatoes, which were picked throughout the season and shared with the St. John’s/St. Ann’s Food Pantry.
In addition to the fresh produce from our garden, parishioners faithfully deliver the non-perishable food donated by St. Paul’s parishioners to the pantry twice each month.
We are grateful to everyone who contributes to this ministry, your generosity makes a real difference. Please keep those donations coming!
Prayer Shawl Knitters
Our Prayer Shawl Ministry is a small but dedicated group of knitters and crocheters who create handmade prayer shawls and lap robes to bring comfort, hope, and God’s love to those in need. These gifts are available to anyone facing illness, hardship, or other challenges. Recipients do not need to belong to St. Paul’s.
Each shawl or lap robe includes a small religious charm and is blessed by our clergy before being delivered. Members generously provide their own yarn for their projects.
If you would like to request a prayer shawl or lap robe, forms are available at the back of the church and may be returned to the church office or to Sheila Smith.
We warmly welcome new members! Whether you are an experienced crafter or just beginning, please consider joining us. We meet on the third Saturday of each month at 10:00 AM in the Blue Room.
Contact
Contact
The CROP Walk
The CROP walk started in the United States 50 years ago. CROP stands for Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty and is run by Church World Services to raise money to fight hunger both locally and globally. People, either singly or as members of a team, get sponsors to pledge money which is then turned over to other volunteers who count and give it to the CROP hunger committee chairperson who then allocates 25% of it to go to local organizations and 75% to fight hunger worldwide.
The Capital Region CROP Hunger Walk started in 1981. It is now known as the John U. Miller Albany CROP Hunger Walk and in 2025 it raised $104,598 on its 45th anniversary. It has been various lengths from 10 kilometers nearly 30 years ago, to 2.2 miles this past year. It has had various routes and starting points throughout its existence. The walk began at St. Paul’s in 2024 and is scheduled to again in 2026. It is always on the first Sunday of May.
People can help with this program by walking, recruiting walkers, donating funds, helping at the event, joining the CROP walk committee, helping with tasks before, during and after the walk, and publicizing the walk in print and electronically. There is even a “Golden Mile” that can be walked if someone doesn’t choose to walk the main route. Since the pandemic, the walk can also be done virtually anytime during the month of May at a venue of the walker’s choice. This has been a fine example of doing something small that can benefit a lot of people in need who might not be able to count on social services where they live.
Holiday Giving Ministry
St. Paul’s supports local families and children each year through two cherished outreach traditions: the Mitten Tree and Adopt-A-Family. These ministries help provide warmth, comfort, and Christmas joy to the Head Start community who presides in our building and to guests served through Loaves & Fishes.
The Mitten Tree
Each winter, our Mitten Tree collects new cold-weather essentials for children and adults in our community. Parishioners donate items such as children’s mittens and gloves, warm socks, and adult socks and gloves. Donations are placed on or under the Mitten Tree in the narthex and distributed to Head Start families and to Loaves & Fishes guests.
Adopt-A-Family
Through Adopt-A-Family, St. Paul’s partners with local Head Start families to help fulfill their holiday wish lists. Parishioners select gift tags from the narthex, purchase the requested items, and return the wrapped gifts with the tag attached. These gifts provide Christmas joy to families who might otherwise go without.
These ministries reflect our commitment to generosity and care and our belief that every person deserves warmth, dignity, and the joy of being remembered. All are invited to participate each holiday season.
