Virginia Episcopalian Magazine Winter 2015 Issue | Page 14
A Community Connection:
Social Work & Church Partnership
Kendall Martin
As a member of St. Thomas’,
Richmond, and an associate
professor of social work at Virginia
Commonwealth University (VCU),
Sarah Kye Price understands the
importance of food pantry ministry
in the city of Richmond. What Price
was not expecting, however, was
how transformative an experience
volunteering at St. Thomas’ pantry –
and witnessing first-hand the impact
on both clients and volunteers –
would be. There is a “deep sense of
community and radical hospitality that
is compelling,” said Price, and as a
social worker, she felt she should have
known “that this is not just a ministry
– it’s just as important to the people
who volunteer.”
After her initial experience
with the pantry, Price committed to
volunteer one Thursday a month. One
Thursday turned into several, and soon
she started to see the social work
pieces that weren’t being addressed.
Whether people were facing eviction,
in need of heating or energy assistance,
or were new mothers without
proper resources, Price recognized
a disconnect between what food
pantry ministry offered and what the
community needed.
At a vestry meeting this year,
Price offered the idea of incorporating
a social work student as part of a
resource and information offering
at the pantry. Submitting a job
description to the field department at
VCU, Price knew this placement was a
stretch from anything the social work
school had done before.
VCU senior Ryan Land is the first to
fill the position. To make sure that Land
met the 14-hour minimum requirement
of his program, Price initiated a
collaboration with nearby Ginter
Park United Methodist Church, St.
Paul’s Catholic Church and St. Philip’s
12
Photo: Kendall Martin
Sarah Kye Price of St. Thomas’, Richmond, consults with VCU social work student Ryan Land.
Episcopal. While a faith-based work
placement, Price sees this program as
being very ecumenical. Although the
focus is not on the religious aspect,
“We do talk about the integration of
faith and justice.”
Creating a bridge between the
individ X[