Double Alumna Enjoys Lifelong Connection to Outreach Center

Faith was always central to her family’s life, Ms. Pigott stressed. Her grandparents emigrated from Ireland and her father is an alumnus of St. John’s. “My grandmother has been a parishioner of St. Martin’s since the 1950s, and still volunteers here. She often babysat me, and always had me involved with something here. Even though I went to public school, I was always heavily involved in the parish.”

Ms. Pigott decided to attend St. John’s after being accepted into the Catholic Scholars program, in which students are part of a multidisciplinary community of Catholic leaders who join professors and campus ministers in monthly meetings, lectures, retreats, courses, and prayer experiences that integrate faith, reason, and service.

Ms. Pigott and her family had a two-hour conversation with James Walters ’04C, ’06GEd, ’09G, ’12Ed.D., the first director of the program, which cemented her decision. “He spent so much time with us discussing the program and his enthusiasm for it. No one else took such an interest in me. I felt that if I had such a support system going in, it could only help.”

Her time at St. John’s was steeped in Vincentian service. In addition to her work with Catholic Scholars, Ms. Pigott was a student worker for Campus Ministry, participating in service opportunities such as Midnight Runs. “I loved doing service at St. John’s because I was so used to doing service here, so it was a natural progression.”

A History major, Ms. Pigott originally had designs on law school. “Then COVID hit, and I took a year off to reevaluate. Eventually I decided I was pursuing law school for the wrong reasons, so I switched gears and moved into School Counseling, which was a better fit for me as a person. I love school and engaging with students.”

Returning to St. John’s for her master’s degree felt completely natural to Ms. Pigott. She contacted Mr. Walters, and was hired as a graduate assistant for Catholic Scholars. “I love St. John’s,” she stressed.

Ms. Pigott needed a job that was flexible enough for a schedule that included classes, internship hours, and her graduate assistance work, and the center fit the bill. “This job was perfect for me and St. Martin’s was so flexible,” she explained.

Ms. Pigott oversees an army of volunteers who form the backbone of the Outreach Center, and emphasized it would be impossible to do her job without them. “I had no idea what I was taking on,” she recalled. “It entailed much more than collecting food and distributing it.”

The prior director remained on as a volunteer and trained Ms. Pigott in the smooth operation of the center. “I’ve had so much help. Many of the volunteers were here before I was born. They know this place inside and out and were so welcoming. They also allowed me the space to grow and make the changes I wanted to make.”

The center is open twice a week by appointment, although Ms. Pigott noted clients often show up unannounced. Donations are accepted from parishioners, and the center is also supported by grants and donations from Island Harvest, Long Island Cares, and Catholic Charities of Long Island, as well as other organizations.

On this day, Ms. Pigott traveled to the local BJs with members of the current Vincentian Mission Certificate program and filled four shopping carts with food and other necessities. Prior to the pandemic, nearly 500 people were registered with the center—and that number has nearly doubled in the aftermath. “What we bought today will be gone in less than a week.”

She credited parishioners of St. Martin’s with overwhelming generosity. “If I put something in the Sunday bulletin, by that afternoon the wagon we keep in the church for donations is overflowing.”

A native of Bethpage, NY, Ms. Pigott would never have known the great need that exists in the community had she not taken on this role. “I tell people you never know what’s going on in your own backyard,” she said.

Listening is also a big part of what Ms. Pigott does, and clients often need to share their stories. “I never realized how much of a big part that would play in what I do here,” she said. “I was able to use my counselor training from St. John’s. I get to learn, and they have somebody to talk to. It’s been a great symbiotic relationship. I might be the only person they speak to all day. It’s so important to me to offer that empathy.”

She continued, “This is my community—and I think we all have a responsibility to help those who live amongst us.”