Nutritional Development Services has provided food and food-related resources to those in need throughout the Greater Philadelphia region for nearly half a century.

Nutritional Development Services (NDS), an agency of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, is working with the Saint Pio Foundation to distribute 1,000 boxes filled with nutritious food to individuals and families in the Philadelphia area who are food insecure. 

“The Christmas Challenge Initiative 2021” boxes will be filled with pasta, tomato sauce, olive oil, grated cheese, and other items to make an Italian meal.  Each box will also contain a Saint Padre Pio prayer card.

NDS will be distributing the boxes over the Christmas season to 1,000 individuals and families in the metropolitan area.  The Saint Pio Foundation will donate a total of 10,000 food boxes in cities all over the country.

Ms. Lizanne Hagedorn, Executive Director of NDS said, “NDS is honored and grateful to the Saint Pio Foundation for partnering with us, in the spirit of Saint Pio, to meet the needs of those facing hunger in the Philadelphia area.  NDS looks forward to working on future endeavors with the Foundation.”

The Saint Pio Foundation is a non-profit charity organization dedicated to the promotion of the spiritual charism of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, Italy.  Following the example of Saint Pio, a primary goal of the foundation is to ‘serve those in need of relief of suffering,’ including those suffering from hunger.

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Editor’s Note: For 48 years, Nutritional Development Services (NDS) of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s mission has been to serve children and those in need with healthy food. NDS accomplishes its mission in two distinct ways: by administering the federally-funded child nutrition programs and through the privately supported Community Food Program. For more information about NDS, please visit http://nutritionaldevelopmentservices.org/. NDS is an equal opportunity service provider.