A guiding light from someone who can't say no

Ele Melendez makes sure nobody is left out in the cold.

Throughout the year, the 71-year-old parish social ministries director and her diligent volunteers at St. Frances de Chantal Roman Catholic Church dedicate their time providing food and necessities to those in-need. People from all over the community stop by to drop off an item of clothing or a can of food, and Melendez — the 2023 Wantagh Herald Person of the Year — makes sure these items go into the hands of those who face challenges or hardships.

“There’s a lot of good people out here,” Melendez said. “There really is a lot of goodness. A lot of people that care.”

Melendez is one of those good people who cares. She strives to help the less fortunate, especially during very busy times like the holidays. Last month, for example, Melendez and her volunteers packed Thanksgiving boxes for nearly 150 struggling families.

Inside each decorated box was a turkey as well as enough food to cover breakfast, lunch and dinner for a family of five.

Maryanne Agricola, a volunteer at the parish, says Melendez has “a heart of gold,” and is always making sure everyone has enough to eat.

“Nobody will go hungry when they come to her,” Agricola said.

On Thanksgiving Day, Melendez and her parish host a catered dinner for those struggling to afford food, complete with entertainment, such as a magic show and musical performances.

This month, Melendez and her team will fulfill Christmas wishes for the less fortunate. Struggling families write out what they want, and Melendez will share those wishes on a angel-shaped piece of paper. Each angel is displayed at the Wantagh Avenue church, where parishoners can come by, grab one of the angels, and fulfill the gift wish.

Pants, pajamas, sweaters, pairs of shoes, even a blender, are some of the wishes families write down.

She may have been doing all this work for 25 years, but that doesn’t stop Melendez from still becoming emotional after reading what people wish for. Each wish is precious to her — simple items many others take for granted, but those less fortunate do not.

“Some of the parents don’t put themselves down,” Melendez said, “but we’ll send them something.”

Kathleen Cowden, a social ministry volunteer at the church for some 20 years, knows Melendez as someone who always finds ways to help someone.

“She does fabulous work for everybody out there,” Cowden said. “She doesn’t know the word ‘no.’”

Christmas is much busier compared to Thanksgiving because families receive gifts on top of a full meal. During this time, the parish social ministry offices are filled with bags containing gifts for each member of the family. And each family receives a Christmas meal with a choice of turkey or ham.

While Melendez helps to organize these events, her volunteers work hard to make sure people’s needs are met. They help deliver food, gifts, and even run the social ministry’s gift shop across the street, which offers low-priced clothing, household items, and other domestic needs for people struggling to provide for themselves or their families.

For Melendez, seeing her volunteers lend a hand is how she knows they care.    

“My volunteers are the best,” she said. “These people, they’re here every day.”

While food and toy drives are synonymous with the holiday season, for Melendez, giving is year-round. The ministry is always looking for donations — especially toilet paper, towels, laundry detergent, and women’s hygiene products.

It’s important to find time to donate, Melendez says, because you never know what your next-door neighbor is going through.

“They could have just lost their job, but they still have the fancy car,” Melendez said. “They still have the nice clothes. But they can’t afford to put the food on the table.”

Melendez did not always know she would land a role in helping others. Prior to St. Frances, she worked on Wall Street, but grew tired of spending years commuting into the city for work. One day, Melendez spoke to a priest, who told her she would be the right person to help those in-need.

She couldn’t see herself working in a church. But 25 years later, she’s still giving out gifts and turkeys to struggling families.

“I never thought it would go this long,” she said.

Melendez believes God chose her to work at St. Frances, to help those who come into her office seeking a bite to eat or a way to get themselves back on their feet. She finds it fulfilling to see people who once needed help come back to thank her for being there in a time of need — whether it was to help with financial issues, or to provide a hot meal.

“It means everything,” Melendez said. “It means I am that instrument for God.”