Where Are They Now:
St. Peter of Alcantara

October 29 | Isabelle Panza

Member Agency St. Peter of Alcantara 

Roxana Sienko thought she was ready to slow down. With her kids older and more independent, she had planned to step back from full-time work and take a part-time role. But one day at St. Peter’s Alcantara in Port Washington, while lecturing at church, everything changed. The priest asked her to help at the parish’s food pantry. 

When Roxana first stepped inside, she found a small, crowded room with limited food and about 83 families relying on it. She quickly realized the scale of the need and got to work. Over time, she expanded the pantry into three additional rooms, organized every shelf, and created a system to better serve the growing number of families. 

But as the pantry grew, so did the challenges. Parishioners, who had long been the pantry’s main donors, were now facing struggles of their own. Determined to keep the pantry stocked, Roxana reached out to Stop & Shop to host a food drive. Volunteers and local students joined her, collecting and shelving donations all day. 

Today, the pantry serves 89 households and roughly 500–600 individuals—an increase of nearly 100 from just the previous month. Roxana knows the work is far from easy. In the wake of the government shutdown, she worries about more families needing help. “I’m scared,” she admits. “They’re about to cut SNAP. I know more people will need support.” 

St. Peter’s operates a client-choice system: families fill out forms listing the food they want, volunteers pack the items, and clients pick them up during appointments. Even with this system, shortages can be stressful. 

Still, Roxana’s faith keeps her grounded, especially in uncertain times like these. “I know God will provide, sometimes at the last minute,” she says. She recalls last Christmas, when she feared the families she serves might go without meals. Just days before the holiday, a donor arrived with gift cards, allowing families to buy their own food. Moments like that remind her why she keeps going, even when the need feels overwhelming. 

Thanks to her dedication and perseverance, Roxana has transformed the pantry from a single crowded room serving 83 families into a fully organized operation reaching up to 600 people. What started as a small effort has become a vital lifeline for her community, showing how faith, hard work, and determination can transform lives. 

Help sustain our First Stop Food Pantries and Member agencies this holiday season, donate $10 to provide 6 meals.