Anthony Caruso ’26 and Jack Walsh ’26 have created a new outreach at St. John’s Jesuit. Born out of a presentation made by Caruso about tangible acts of faith and food insecurity in the local community, the idea to assemble “manna bags” and empower classmates to distribute in the community was an initiative Caruso saw succeed at his home parish of St. Joseph Sylvania.
Manna Bags are gallon-sized freezer bags with non-perishable food items, toiletries, and a list of social service agencies with contact information. “We worked together with teachers and staff to coordinate funding and to create the manna bags,” Walsh said. Caruso knew the idea could have an impact and said “My parish has a program very similar to this, where there would be a basket of Manna Bags in the Church for people to take and distribute. My family really liked the idea, and we eventually started buying supplies to make our own. I have distributed numerous bags since we started making them, and I have found that it is a great way to care for people in the community.”
On April 1, during Holy Week, the planning and work came to fruition when Fr. Tom Pipp, SJ blessed the bags and Caruso and Walsh distributed the first wave to members of the Titan community. As with so many student initiatives, faculty and staff were highly supportive. Walsh and Caruso are grateful for the help of Christian Service Director Julie Santiago, and faculty members Phil Levering, Adam Dane ’02, and Michelle Williams. Levering was impressed with the passion it took for Caruso and Walsh to implement the project on top of all the other senior year requirements. “Our Christian faith beckons us to see people for who they are: beloved. “Manna Bags are designed to encourage a humanizing encounter with people we see around the Toledo area. Hopefully, this outreach encourages acts of compassion from our SJJ family! Simply take a bag, store it in the car, and give to someone seeking assistance – all instead of ignoring them while out on the road,” he said.
As graduation nears, it is evident that members of the Class of 2026 have taken the five pillars of Jesuit education to heart, being developed as young men who are loving, religious, intellectually competent, open to growth, and committed to doing justice. Caruso and Walsh are confident in their formation as soon-to-be graduates. “I have always been passionate about the problem of food insecurity in the community,” Caruso said adding, “I believe that having sufficient access to food is a basic human right, and I want to do whatever I can to make sure it is granted to everyone. I feel that Manna Bags are an easy and practical, yet very effective, way to lessen inequality in the community one person at a time.”