St. Helena’s Roman Catholic Church: Serving the Community for More Than 40 Years

January 29, 2026

For more than four decades, St. Helena’s food pantry in Claymont has been a lifeline for neighbors in need. Established over 40 years ago and partnering with the Food Bank of Delaware since nearly the beginning, the pantry has grown alongside the community it serves.

“We’re about 45 years old,” said Carol Ann Plunket (pictured right), Director of St. Helena’s Parish Social Ministry Office. “We’ve been here just about as long as the Food Bank.”

While the pantry has evolved over the years, its mission has remained the same: help people meet their most basic needs with dignity and compassion.

In recent years, the pantry has seen a sharp and sustained increase in demand, particularly after pandemic-era assistance ended.

“We have about five or six people already this morning,” longtime volunteer and pantry coordinator Linda Deeney (pictured left) noted.

Many families learn about the pantry through word of mouth, social media, or referrals from 2-1-1. For some, it’s their first time ever asking for help.

While food assistance is available to anyone, the pantry also provides help with rent and utility bills for households within its service area (Claymont). Those funds come entirely from parish and community donations, monthly collections, and support from groups like the Knights of Columbus and neighboring parishes.

The stories visitors share are often rooted in the same challenges: high rent, soaring utility bills, and wages that simply haven’t kept up with the cost of living.

“Just the rents, and especially the electric,” Linda said. “It’s most of their money.”

Many households include large families or multigenerational living arrangements.

“We have a lot of grandparents raising their children’s children,” Linda shared. “You’ve already raised [your kids]… and now on a fixed income and then they have all these little ones around. They like to eat, you know?”

Even working families struggle.

“Many are working at jobs that do not have much of a pay,” Carol Ann explained. “CNAs… low wage jobs. Or they’re temporarily out of work.”

Others are overqualified and discouraged.

“They have all of this education. They’re paying student loans and they can’t get a job,” she pointed out.

Older adults are among the most vulnerable visitors to the pantry. Utility costs are especially devastating for them.

“You have somebody, especially a senior on a fixed income,” Linda explained. “Their electric bill is hundreds of dollars more than it used to be… that’s a real shock to the budget.”

The pantry often helps families navigate payment arrangements and referrals to other resources.

St. Helena’s food pantry is run almost entirely by volunteers — many of them retirees themselves.

From answering phones and scheduling appointments to hauling food, filling bags, and unloading deliveries, volunteers keep everything running, often in a challenging space that requires carrying heavy food items up and down stairs.

Despite the physical demands, the team remains committed, resourceful and deeply compassionate.

“We couldn’t do it without them,” Carol Ann said.

After retiring, Linda began volunteering as a way to stay engaged and give back.  Fifteen years later, it’s simply part of life. Linda calls it a “personal duty.”  She says the connection with the people served makes the work meaningful.

“I enjoy talking with the people. I enjoy giving them advice… and helping them with the food,” Linda said.

Her husband Jim also assists by using his truck to pick up the pantry’s orders at the Food Bank. He refers to himself as the “stock boy.”

The pantry’s partnership with the Food Bank of Delaware plays a crucial role, especially when it comes to protein and frozen foods.

“The food bank has really been a big help, especially with the meats,” Linda said.

“[Our visitors] really depend on the help that we’re able to give them,” she noted. “And we’re very generous with what we give them — and variety.”