Susan Barclay, a member of St. Luke Lutheran Church in Rockwood, Pennsylvania, part of the Allegheny Synod, recently joined the LAMPa Policy Council. She is a retired mathematics teacher from Rockwood Area School District. Susan is married to Kirby Barclay, the mother of four children and four grandchildren, all the loves of her life. She has served on the Somerset County Mobile Food Bank Board of Directors, Sequanota Board of Directors, St. Luke Church Council and various school committees. Presently she manages the Lazarus Gate Good Pantry in Rockwood.

As a teacher, she served on a committee, “Kids Come First”, that provided for the needs of students that included buying lunches and providing holiday meals for students’ families throughout the year. After retiring from teaching at the district, she continued to be a voice for the hungry in Rockwood and Somerset County. After attending a Somerset County Summer Feeding Program meeting and discovering that Rockwood did not qualify for this program, she joined a group of individuals attempting to launch a mobile food bank in Somerset County. In 2012 the Somerset County Mobile Food Bank hit the road, delivering food (primarily fresh produce) to people in ten communities throughout Somerset County. Roughly 1100 families are served every month from this truck in rain, snow, heat, or cold. Susan served on the Somerset County Mobile Food Bank Board and continues to volunteer for this ministry. Following the receipt of an ELCA Hunger Grant, Susan was instrumental in opening Lazarus Gate in Rockwood.

In Susan’s own words, “As a teacher I knew children came to school many days hungry. And I have always had a love of good nutritional food. So after retirement I decided to feed those around me who were hungry. And Lazarus Gate became that avenue. We are open two days a month and serve 50 or more families each time. It is hard work but so rewarding.

I am honored to serve on this Board. I have spent a life time fighting for the underdog, the person without a voice. I am particularly passionate about hunger, but the environment, refugees, and gun reform are areas of concern for me as well. Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed and don’t know where to begin the work that needs to be done. LAMPa offers me a place to begin.”

 

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