Feeding those in need is a fundamental principle of Christianity. Inspired by Mother Teresa’s belief that “We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love,” the nonprofit organization Small Things has dedicated itself to fighting hunger across Philadelphia.
Founded in 2010 as Easter Outreach, a seasonal effort to provide Easter dinners to struggling families, the organization has grown into a year-round hunger-relief network with a broad community impact. According to its 2025 report, Small Things now distributes more than one million pounds of food annually, supplying essential groceries to thousands of low-income, working-class, and immigrant families throughout the region.
In addition to food distribution, the organization provides nutritious snacks for children and operates a workforce development program designed to help participants build skills and improve their employment opportunities.
Small Things works through a network of more than 50 local partners, including community centers, churches, and food pantries throughout Pennsylvania and neighboring areas. The organization also directly operates food pantries in Philadelphia that serve as a critical resource for families facing economic hardship, including many older adults living on limited incomes.
Respect and dignity are central to the group’s mission. Staff and volunteers strive to treat every person they serve with compassion and empathy while building lasting relationships with partner organizations. “We believe collaboration is key to alleviating poverty,” the organization states on its website. “We seek to build authentic and enduring partnerships to meet the needs of local communities.”
Leading the organization is Vito Baldini, a Philadelphia native and ordained minister in the Reformed Church in America. While serving at what was then Liberti Center City Church, now known as Resurrection, Baldini became aware of the severe food insecurity affecting neighborhoods in North Philadelphia. In 2010, one of those communities was identified as having the highest hunger rate in the United States, an experience that helped shape his dedication to urban ministry and hunger relief.
Baldini’s leadership and the organization’s work have received numerous honors. In 2020, he received the Martin Luther King Jr. Servant Leader Award from the Philadelphia Council of Clergy. In 2021, Philabundance recognized Baldini and Small Things with its Hunger Hero Award, and later that year Concilio named them Volunteer of the Year during its Hispanic Heritage celebration.
For residents in need, Small Things operates food distribution sites in Hunting Park, Fairhill, and Center City Philadelphia, providing groceries and hot meals to individuals and families experiencing food insecurity.
More information is available at smallthingsphilly.org.