Agency Spotlight: Most Precious Blood Church

Most Precious Blood Church Logo

Feeding San Diego Partnerships Department recently started recognizing an agency partner in their monthly newsletters that go out to our network. These spotlights are meant to acknowledge and encourage the community’s ongoing efforts to help meet our vision of a hunger-free San Diego. This month, they chose to start by recognizing agency partner Most Precious Blood Church in Chula Vista.

Most Precious Blood Church began a partnership with us in September 2015. It currently participates in our Food Rescue program and receives a bi-monthly delivery from our distribution center. They also conduct weekly pickups at Albertsons, Flowers Baking Co., Trader Joe’s, and Otay Farms. This agency serves the community under the guidance and support of Rita Brunelle.

A Powerful Leader

Before dedicating her time to the pantry at Most Precious Blood Church, she was a school teacher for second-grade students. Her current and former Partnerships Coordinators describe her as kind-hearted, vivacious, spirited, thoughtful, and appreciative, and always willing to go the extra mile for her volunteers and community members.

A Dedicated Team

Rita describes her volunteer fleet as awesome and dedicated. They come every day and are ready to serve when the pantry is open to the public. Volunteers clear their schedules in advance to receive the Feeding San Diego truckload that arrives on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month. In recent weeks, Most Precious Blood served 47 clients in one day, a new record for their pantry. Rita and her volunteer fleet maintain great relationships with store personnel and the community.

Although they are only open to Chula Vista residents, when they learned their sister congregation was closing in San Ysidro, they opened their efforts to support residents residing in 92154. They distribute produce and dry goods as well as tortillas and other culturally appropriate produce provided by Otay Farms. They have been very appreciative of their Trader Joe’s and Albertsons connections who have supplied them with eggs to distribute to community members. Rita shares, “we’ve been truly blessed.” Thank you to everyone at Most Precious Blood Church for their continuous support of the community.

Written by Marilyn Villalba, partnership coordinator for South County