FARMINGTON — Families and individuals in Franklin County are encouraged to gather on Sunday, April 29, for a feast of gratitude and an event aimed at finding ways to better address hunger needs in the area.

St. Joseph Parish will host St. Joseph’s Table and a food summit from 11:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. in its parish hall, at 133 Middle St., according to a news release from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland.

The tradition of the St. Joseph Table of food (“la tavala di San Giuseppe”) has its origins in Sicily, attributed to a prayer and devotion made to St. Joseph at the end of a devastating drought. The table is a celebration of the riches of food where nobody will be turned away, particularly the hungry who cannot host their own table because of poverty. The St. Joseph’s Table will feature a traditional meal of pasta, minestrone soup, rich desserts and breads provided by the Rev. Paul Dumais, pastor of St. Joseph Parish.

Following the meal of generosity, a food summit will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. in the hall. More than 50 people will gather from Catholic churches in the region to share their food-related ministries and explore ways that area churches can work more collaboratively.

“The summit will be facilitated by Lisa Laflin of United Way of the Tri-Valley Area,” said Dumais, according to the release. “The purpose is to affirm the work being done currently to help address food needs locally, discuss the challenges we face, and explore future opportunities to work together.”

The summit is part of Growing Roots, a weeklong celebration of community and food in Franklin County that will feature the Maine Fiddlehead Festival on May 5, as well as a variety of special events promoting food waste reduction, improved access to food pantries, and ways in which residents can help feed the hungry.

The lunch and summit are the latest in a series of events at St. Joseph Parish dedicated to bringing families, friends and neighbors together. In September, St. Joseph Parish and St. Rose of Lima Parish in Jay held the Catholic Rural Life Festival, drawing hundreds of people to a week of programs and activities designed to celebrate the many blessings of rural living.

For more information about St. Joseph’s Table and the food summit, call St. Joseph Parish at 778-2778.