A favorite quote of mine comes from Fred Rogers, the children’s television personality. He shared how his mom would comfort him when he was a frightened child. If news events were scary, she would say, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”
I think there’s a bit of that frightened child in me right now, and maybe in most of us.
That’s why I’ve been gratified lately to hear about chef Jose Andres, the founder of World Central Kitchen. This organization, which Andres launched in 2010 in response to a massive earthquake in Haiti, has provided over 450 million fresh, nourishing meals worldwide to those caught in crisis situations. Basically, they cook good meals for hungry people.
You may have heard that in April 2024, an Israeli strike in Gaza killed seven World Central Kitchen workers, an action Israel later called a “mistake.”
Nevertheless, Andres and his crew continue to be helpers, running very low on supplies in Gaza, where Israel imposed a humanitarian blockade on food, medicine and other aid until all hostages taken in Hamas’ 2023 terrorist attack are released.
Lately, Andres, who was born in Spain and immigrated to the U.S. when he was 21, has a new book out: “Change the Recipe: Because You Can’t Build a Better World Without Breaking Some Eggs.”
This isn’t a book review, as I haven’t gotten my hands on the book yet. But the new book has spurred interviews, and one morning on National Public Radio I heard someone ask Andres how he continues on in our present dark times. His answer was almost an echo of Fred Rogers. When times are particularly bleak, he said, “The best of humanity shows up.”
Easter season
Those are words to contemplate in this season of Easter. Sometimes we forget that Lent is 40 days long, but the Easter season, our time to celebrate, is 50. We should be rejoicing right now, and following the Lord into Galilee.
That’s the same Lord who gave us a blueprint for helping in Mt 25:34-40: Feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, cloth the naked, care for the sick, visit the prisoner. And when you do these things, Jesus said, you are actually doing them for him.
Pope Francis was a helper and he encouraged helpers everywhere. Was it surprising that he made the effort to greet the crowds in St. Peter’s Square on Easter on the day before his death?
Catholic Relief Services helps the world on our behalf. Launched by the U.S. Catholic Bishops at the end of World War II to assist survivors in Europe, CRS has served more than 200 million people in more than 100 countries on five continents.
Recent drastic cuts to the agency USAID have impacted their budget. They need our financial help more than ever.
Start local
But besides monetary donations, there are so many ways to be a helper. Is there a food bank in your town? Have you donated blood to the Red Cross lately? Is there a neighbor who might need a friendly call?
A woman in my parish organizes a casserole donation to a shelter once a month. People anonymously place homemade casseroles in a freezer in the parish garage and someone delivers them on Monday morning.
What if during these days of Easter, which culminates with the feast of Pentecost, we tried each day to think of a way to be a helper? Start a journal and make a list.
Looking for the helpers is good advice for the frightened child. Being a helper is a way to move beyond fear.
Effie Caldarola is a wife, mom and grandmother who received her master’s degree in pastoral studies from Seattle University.
