Correspondent photo / Sean Barron... Sister Kathleen McCarragher of the Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown leads a prayer that preceded an annual community dinner Thursday the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Mahoning District Council hosted, along with several McCarragher family members, at the former St. Stanislaus Kostka Church in Youngstown.

YOUNGSTOWN — It’s easy to despair — especially during the holidays –‘The when one’s life is in disarray and chaotic, but having a neighbor such as Norma Seefeldt can patch the potholes, smoothen the bumps and add an extra smile or two.

“They’ll be happy,” Seefeldt, of Youngstown, said.

The “they” to whom she was referring was a neighbor who has four children and who is undergoing a series of personal struggles, the effects of which have been amplified with the holidays, which, by contrast, is a time of cheer and happiness for many.

Specifically, Seefeldt selected two teddy bears, a board game, several pairs of socks for the neighbor’s four children and other items, which she took home after having attended the third annual Christmas dinner Thursday at the former St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, 430 Williamson Ave., on the city’s South Side.

Hosting the two-hour holiday meal for those less fortunate, and who are struggling, were members of the McCarragher family, along with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Mahoning District Council Inc.

“Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus, and I love to share his love,” Seefeldt said. “The world needs Jesus; the world is upside-down.”

One of many aspects of Thursday’s community dinner that were upright, however, was the fact that four generations of the McCarragher family spearheaded the gathering, Ed McCarragher said. He added that St. Luke Roman Catholic Parish and a Knights of Columbus chapter donated the food, which consisted of turkey, stuffing, green beans, mashed potatoes, bread and desserts.

“I always order more than I need,” McCarragher said, adding that the meal cost about $700 and that any surplus was to go to Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority residents later Thursday. “They don’t go home empty-handed.”

McCarragher was expecting about 100 at Thursday’s dinner in the dining hall, a number that likely would have been larger if bus service had been available on the holiday.

“This is our charitable thing,” Liz McCarragher of Chicago, who was one of the servers, said as she awaited people to whom to serve turkey slices. “They can come and be merry, bond with people, whatever they want to do.”

Many people who are struggling financially also greatly benefit from having a healthy supply of hygiene products, which filled a few large tables and were free to those who attended the dinner. They included shampoo, soap, deodorant, feminine products, mouthwash and toothpaste and toothbrushes.

Also in the mix were numerous pairs of donated socks, courtesy of Francesca Battaglini of New Middletown, a student who helps lead Socktober, a community-driven initiative in which undergarments and pairs of socks are collected each October for those in need. Recipients include the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, with help from local businesses and community organizations, before the items are distributed to those in the Youngstown area who are homeless and less fortunate.

Battaglini donated an estimated 4,000 pairs of socks for Thursday’s dinner, along with other pairs that will be distributed to those of all age groups on Martin Luther King Jr. Day next month, said Mary Elaine Lyden of Canfield, a St. Vincent de Paul member.

“(The hygiene items) go very quickly when we give them away. They’re almost a luxury, believe it or not,” Lyden said, adding that many people have to rely on food stamps to buy such products.

In many instances, those with financial struggles also have to focus on having enough food, so necessary hygiene items take on a lower priority, Lyden observed.

When asked what having several of his siblings and other family members engage in such a community-outreach effort, Ed. McCarragher was a bit stoic.

“Hey, everybody gets a little present,” he said.