Sep 1, 2012 / 12:07 pm
Promptly at 9 a.m. on Aug. 15, the Feast of the Assumption, the doors of the auditorium of Visitation Parish, Brick, N.J. opened to the first of dozens of volunteers who would soon transform the place into a warm and welcoming setting for a communal meal.
In a scenario that has been repeated on the third Wednesday of each month since May 2008, they set the stage for the Visitation Community Lunch, the abundantly successful brainchild of a parish couple named Frank and Isabel Kronicz, who had a vision of holding gatherings that melded food, friendship and faith.
Over the past four years, the lunch – considered a natural extension of the food bank started 14 years ago to help people in Ocean County, especially those residing in the 08732 zip code – has hosted thousands of folks within that 10-mile radius.
Gatherings range from about 60 people to upwards of 100, say organizers who credit the dedication of the volunteer crew with its success and salute the response from business, civic groups, schools and the county health department who have contributed everything from fresh baked bread to Thanksgiving feasts and even health checks.