Grace in the struggle

Food has played a large role in St. Paul member Sherry Peer’s life. From her professional career, to time with her family, and her quiet impact on families during the holidays. Now, Sherry has found a new home and purpose in the Quad Cities after moving to be closer to her family.

Compassionate care 
Sherry’s journey began in the west, moving from South Dakota to Colorado and back again. She attended Colorado State University. At first not quite sure which career would be a good fit for her, Sherry took a chance as a dietician and fell in love with the work. She soon found her calling in outpatient services, where she could interact with patients and help them develop practical nutrition solutions.

Sherry took a compassionate and understanding approach with patients, recognizing the human aspect of dietary challenges. Her work was not just about providing nutritional advice; it was about supporting people through their struggles and celebrating their successes.

“Outpatient care allowed me to see the improvement in the quality of life for these patients. I created an outpatient clinic in Colorado Springs because, at that time, they didn’t have one around yet. Physicians referred patients to me and I would work to understand their diagnosis and what their dietary needs were. It was important for me to support people. Sometimes the dietary rules patients are given are so daunting that no one can follow them,” Sherry said. “Through my career I had an opportunity to not judge, to understand what help a person needed, and what little steps they were ready to take to get there. I remember one gentleman was trying so hard to do the right thing and to eat well but it was difficult. I told him ‘you are a human being, you deserve to eat. That’s not something you have to keep fighting.’”

Her passion for giving back is evident in her long-term volunteer involvement with Camp Gilbert, a diabetes youth camp in South Dakota, where she served, always in a volunteer capacity, as director and mentor, ensuring the camp’s legacy now continues under the leadership of former campers.

Sherry’s dedication to helping others extended beyond her professional life; she actively participated in various programs at her previous church, including a backpack program that provides food for children over the weekend and food and clothing drives.

Moving and settling 
Recently, Sherry moved to the Quad Cities to be closer to her daughter and her daughter’s family. She found her way to St. Paul through a family friend and was drawn to the welcoming atmosphere and extensive outreach programs.

“I came from a small country church in South Dakota. It’s crowded if you put 200 people in that sanctuary. Everyone knew everyone. And then I came to visit St. Paul, and it was huge. It was huge, but it never felt big,” Sherry said. “I remember sitting in the pew one day trying to figure out where I was in my life. I’d experienced so much change in such a short amount of time. But here I felt comfortable that I could just be. That day a message of welcome and radical hospitality was shared. I knew in that moment that this was the place I wanted to be. There’s always someone to greet you with a smile on their face. I started coming to small groups. I met people, then I became familiar with people, and now I feel like I really know people here. I’m truly joyful when I’m at St. Paul.”

Giving to others 
Her commitment to helping others is deeply rooted in her upbringing, influenced by her grandparents’ generosity during the Dust Bowl era. Sherry believes in the power of food to bring people together and provide comfort, a philosophy that has guided her throughout her career and personal life.

“I grew up giving. I remember my dad telling me at a young age about my grandpa. My grandparents had lost their farm during the dust bowl when my dad was very young. My dad would tell me how Grandma Peer would send Grandpa Peer with money to buy supplies for the home. He was supposed to come home with change, and my grandma was surprised there wasn’t ever any change left. Grandpa gave that money to someone else who needed it. Even though they didn’t have much, grandpa always gave to others. My dad and mom carried on that kind of generosity and passed it to me.”
Last November, Sherry was struck with the inspiration to give back. She inquired about providing a ham or turkey for a family in need. Not typically an item collected for local food pantries at St. Paul due to a lack of freezer space, staff sought to find a connection for Sherry. Serendipitously, just about an hour after Sherry’s inquiry, a church member mentioned the need for just such an item for their family’s celebration. Sherry pulled up to the church a day later with a ham and grocery store gift cards to fill out the family’s shopping list and fill their table for Thanksgiving, allowing the family to worry a little less and spend time together during the holiday.

“Food is a real gift in my mind. It’s something that makes people feel better and taken care of. I love being involved with food. It’s what brings people together. Food is why we gather. It’s so much more than nourishment,” Sherry said. “It’s important for me to give. Sometimes people just need a little help and with that help they get their feet back under them and they pass the support on, paying it forward and helping someone else. Everything finds its way to a better place, to the place its meant to be. That’s part of the grace in the struggle.”

Living with her daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren in Davenport, Sherry enjoys the vibrant community and the opportunity to watch her grandchildren grow. She finds joy in attending their soccer games, musical concerts, and other activities, cherishing the moments spent with family and always looking to help give back.

End of school food and care ingathering planned for May 17 & 18
Fill a bag with nonperishable food items and toiletries and bring it to church the weekend of May 17 & 18 to support The Friendly House Food Pantry in Davenport. Or, write a check to St. Paul, with “Food Pantry” in the memo line, and drop it off or mail it to church.

What’s most needed right now? Soups, canned meals, canned meat (chicken & tuna), cereal, pasta sauce and noodles, peanut butter, jelly, paper products like toilet paper and paper towels, and hygiene items such as soap, laundry soap, and feminine products (tampons and pads).