Catholic Charities of San Diego’s Director of Community Service, Lisa DuMolt, is a veteran IVC social service partner. For over 10 years, she has worked side-by-side with IVC volunteers on Affordable Care medical coverage assistance, CalFresh (nutrition assistance program), and emergency food distribution assistance.
Lisa’s commitment to IVC extends well beyond that of a service partner contact; she also sits on the region’s advisory committee, supporting regional director Margot Howard in her efforts to sustain and grow IVC’s reach in the area. “The volunteers and staff of IVC are people of integrity who live out their commitment to the service of others and God. I want to do my part to help IVC thrive in San Diego.”
The Emergency Food Distribution Network provides walk-up, drive-through, and home-delivered food assistance
Lisa admits the past several months have been daunting: “COVID-19 demanded that we quickly reshape our whole approach. For example, we closed our traditional storefront food pantries and began an online food distribution program, The Emergency Food Distribution Network —the program Barbara and seven other IVC SCMs are helping with — which provides walk up, drive-through, and home delivered food assistance.” But this time of change has presented opportunities as well: “Our outreach using these new online models has exceeded what we were able to accomplish in the past. We can now serve so many more people who would have otherwise not come to us.” While Catholic Charities and their eight current IVC San Diego volunteers look forward to the day when they can serve clients in person again, it is likely that the new online model will remain as well and reach even more of those in need throughout California.
Catholic Charities San Diego’s Chief Executive Officer, Appaswamy “Vino” Pajanor, echoes Lisa’s sentiments about the agency’s relationship with IVC: “IVC volunteers bring with them valuable skills and experiences, and are full of passion and humanity which is essential in fulfilling the mission of Catholic Charities. Good Samaritans come in different forms, and IVC volunteers have become Catholic Charities’ Good Samaritans, especially during these unprecedented times. We are blessed to be working such dedicated individuals who are putting their faith into action.”
IVC is blessed as well, to have volunteers and partners like Barbara and Catholic Charities!