Brother Benno’s was started by Brother Benno Garrity, a Benedictine monk who worked tirelessly to serve the people in need in Oceanside, CA. What began as a soup kitchen in 1983 has evolved into the Brother Benno Foundation, a non-profit that serves the communities in most need in the Oceanside area through a multitude of services including meal services, recovery programs, and more!
The Oceanside Pacific Kiwanis Club has worked with Brother Benno’s in the past, so when they learned that the organization was in desperate need of supplies, including non-perishable foods and masks, due to the pandemic, they knew they needed to help. With a COVID-19 Community Assistance Grant from the Cal-Nev-Ha Children’s Fund, the club was able to donate more than 2,000 items to Brother Benno’s to be included in food boxes and PPE kits!
Club members delivered the items to the organization’s warehouse on August 15 and were met with immense gratitude and excitement from staff and volunteers. “Brother Benno’s expressed freely how difficult it was for them to meet the demands of the community during this difficult time,” shared Beth Walls, Club President. “According to the Operations Manager, the number of people in need has doubled, [so] they were extremely grateful for the donation!”