A Roman Catholic Priest and a Registered Nurse, Paul Lostritto has dedicated his life to serving others. After earning a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing, he began working as a Staff Nurse at the Yale-New Haven Hospital in Connecticut. There, he provided care for patients in the surgical/burn unit. Paul Lostritto subsequently relocated to New York City and became a Franciscan Friar of Holy Name Province in 1989. As part of his ministry work, Lostritto created and implemented an ESL program and managed the nursing department at a homeless shelter for men. He ran support groups, provided educational opportunities for residents, and also aided them in finding permanent housing and employment. Lostritto later traveled to South America and participated in a cross-culture ministry in Bolivia. In 2001, Paul Lostritto joined Columbia University’s Harlem Hospital Center Division of Infectious Diseases as a Research Nurse. In that role, he investigated the bio-psycho-social aspects of care for patients with HIV/AIDS and offered counseling for clients and their families. From 2003 to 2008, Lostritto took on the position of Hospice Team Manager with Cabrini Medical Center. He also worked as a Visiting Nurse and Team Leader to coordinate home care for patients and provide support and supervision for staff members. In addition, Paul Lostritto has participated in prison ministry programs. Presently, Paul Lostritto serves as Director for the Franciscan Food Center at St. Anthony Shrine’s in Boston, where he and co-founder David Convertino work alongside more than 150 volunteers to provide food for the center’s more than 1,800 members. Lostritto deeply believes that his clients deserve to be served in an environment of compassion, respect, and dignity, and to that end ensures that everyone at the center operates under those guidelines. Members of the Franciscan Food Center can choose a wide array of fresh produce and frozen meats; grains such as cereal, rice, and pasta; and dairy products including milk, yogurt, and cheese. The Greater Boston Food Bank, donations from the community and the CEO Council on Hunger, as well as an annual campaign, help support the center. In all, Paul Lostritto oversees a Food Center that provides 5,000 to 10,000 pounds of food to those who need assistance in the Boston area. Since Paul Lostritto established the Franciscan Food Center, he has worked diligently to ensure the program’s growth and success. Lostritto was as a key figure in raising the money needed to buy a new walk-in freezer and refrigerator for the organization in the summer of 2010.