Bishop Carmody, Rosa Pizzi, Metro Ministries CEO, and Tim Ehrman, Metro Ministries board president, led the blessing of the new facility.

The new Petra Vela Kenedy Center was opened for Corpus Christi Metro Ministries (CCMM) with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 26 and attended by clients, supporters and local leaders, including Bishop Edmond Carmody. The facility will accommodate Rainbow House, which provides transitional housing for women and children, and Loaves and Fishes Cafeteria. Loaves and Fishes, which has served more than 3.7 million meals since 1982, will double in size. "This is a historical day for Metro Ministries," said Tim Ehrman, CCMM board president, who thanked donors for helping the agency to "further fulfill its mission of creating a community free from hunger and hopelessness, especially during this challenging economy."