The Archdiocese of Los Angeles Tuesday will introduce Hearts to Serve, a hotline to support seniors, homebound people and pregnant women in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Operated by the archdiocese's Office of Life, Justice and Peace; the St. Vincent de Paul Society; and the Knights of Columbus, the hotline will help support people in need by connecting them with local resources for food, prescription and grocery delivery. Throughout the pandemic, the hotline will be available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
"In this unprecedented time of uncertainty and sacrifice, we see wonderful acts of kindness and mercy emerging," said Kathleen Domingo, senior director of the archdiocese's Office of Life, Justice and Peace. "Hearts to Serve invites Catholics from every walk of life to join an effort of prayer and service for those most in need now. Together, we can nourish our faith and offer real comfort to our brothers and sisters."
The joint effort is intended to address a rise in assistance requests, according to David Garcia, executive director of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
"In this time of uncertainty, the society is committed to collaborating with the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in its efforts to mobilize Catholics to serve the neediest in our community," Garcia said. "As you can imagine, due to the current crisis, our parish-based chapters of volunteers, which we call Conferences of Charity, have seen an increase in calls for assistance. We will do our best to assist the archdiocese's outreach endeavors to help people in need."
Those requiring assistance can call 855-423-6780 to be connected to the appropriate resources.
