FOOD DONATIONS
Our current Grocery Needs ListMEAL OFFERINGS
OTHER NEEDED SUPPLIES
GIFTS-IN-KIND
Following the example of our Holy Father Dominic, the early Dominicans relied on donations of food and goods from the faithful for their daily bread. Today, donations of foodstuffs and supplies are still relied upon - they are always greatly welcomed and appreciated.
Because of our life of poverty, our daily diet is simple and frugal. The items used most in our monastery kitchen are the same ones found in a food pantry or soup kitchen. For highly perishable items that cannot be easily frozen or preserved, we recommend calling the monastery first to ask whether it is currently needed. Here are a few ideas of our most commonly used products.
Grocery NeedsList
Last updated March 2026
We gratefully accept other grocery items not listed, however, these are the ones needed most at this time. For your convenience, we prepared the list to match our local grocery store online categories.
Beverages: coffee (instant and ground or beans)
Dairy, Eggs & Cheese
Canned Foods: Tuna; Chicken or Beef Broth
Frozen Foods: french fries; hash browns; meatless entrees, plant based entrees, etc.
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: seasonal fruits and vegetables are always needed and most appreciated
Meat & Fish: whole, portions/cuts beef, pork or imitation crab are always most appreciated
Paper, Cleaning & Home: bath tissue/toilet paper, multifold (trifold) paper towels for dispenser, facial tissue, liquid bleach, disinfectant
Another way to support our monastic life is to offer a pre-cooked or “heat and serve” meal. Once per month, our community has a “free day”, that is a day set aside for communal recreation and leisure, and a “hermit day”, a day of retreat and recollection. The gift of a pre-cooked or “heat and serve” meal frees the kitchen sisters to more fully participate in these monthly community days. If you would like to offer a meal, please call in advance to coordinate with our community.
Besides food, other goods and supplies are needed to support our monastic life and the running of our monastery. To learn about our specific current needs, please contact us via email. Here are some of our most common general needs.
Personal and hygiene items: toothpaste, dental floss, etc.
Clothing and Linens: White, knee-high socks are in constant demand.
Household and Cleaning Supplies: fragrance-free laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, kitchen and bath cleaner, powder kitchen cleanser like Comet, basic cleaning supplies, paper products (including tissues and toilet paper), etc.
Study and Office Supplies: copy paper, white letter-size cardstock/coverstock, spiral notebooks, blank index cards: 3x5 and 4x6, sticky notes, etc.; other supplies (glue sticks, rubber cement, white craft glue, tape, white-out).
Gift Cards: Amazon.com, grocery, lawn and garden, office supplies.
Other gifts-in-kind are appreciated, and can supply the monastery with important equipment, tools, supplies, and valuables, such as computers, cameras, art or books, quality vehicles, garden and home improvement tools and equipment, health equipment and other materials beneficial to our cloistered life. If you would like to make an in-kind donation, please contact our community via email, as we are unable to accept all items.