The Great Depression ft. WKBW-TV's Taylor Epps

In this powerful episode of Father Baker Retold, we journey back to the Great Depression — a time of despair that revealed the boundless compassion of Venerable Nelson Baker. As thousands struggled to survive, Father Baker’s “City of Charity” became a beacon of hope, feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, and healing the sick. But his impact went deeper. Through his groundbreaking outreach to Buffalo’s Black community and the creation of safe homes for working women, he modeled a faith that welcomed all. This episode, which features WKBW-TV journalist Taylor Epps, celebrates Father Baker’s enduring legacy of action, inclusion, and hope when it was needed most. 

Transcript

Father Baker Retold ep11 – The Great Depression

Intro

Picture this: It’s 1929. The stock market has just crashed. Banks are folding. Breadlines are stretching down city blocks. And ordinary Americans are losing everything. The Great Depression has arrived … and no one knows how long the suffering will last.

But, in Western New York, while despair hung heavy in the air, one man was rolling up his sleeves. A man whose faith and compassion made him a light in the darkness. His name? Venerable Nelson Baker.

On this episode of Father Baker Retold, we’ll look at the saintly priest’s heroic efforts during this particularly dark time. We’ll also explore how Father Baker’s work not only fed thousands, but planted the seeds of unity and inclusion that still matter to this day.

Segment 1

There’s little question that, by the time the Depression hit, Father Baker could have said, “Hey, I’m already doing enough!” After all, his sprawling campus included, at the time, the orphanage and protectory, OLV Infant Home, OLV hospital, OLV School, and, of course, the recently completed OLV Basilica.  Not too far away were the working boys’ home and OLV Farm.

His plate was already pretty full and his charitable works were legendary.

But, if we know anything about Father Baker, we know he couldn’t sit still when there was a need to fill.  And, at the advent of the Great Depression, need surrounded him.

In response to the economic devastation, he launched an effort that became known as the “City of Charity.”  This work became a critical life-line for Western New Yorkers who were struggling through the worst economic crisis of their time.

Beginning on Christmas Day in 1930 -- when Father Baker invited all unemployed people to come to the OLV campus for dinner -- his institutions became a beacon of light.

Think about this: between 1930 and 1933, the “City of Charity” served more than 450,000 meals, provided 20,000 nights of free lodging and distributed thousands of coats, suits, dresses and pairs of shoes.  In addition, 1,500 individuals received free medical care at OLV Hospital.  All that was required from those that sought help was to stick out a hand and ask.

Amazingly, though, not everybody approved of his generosity-without-strings-attached approach.  In a conversation with a friend, the humble priest explained his philosophy:

I’ve often been criticized for taking care of these poor people.  But let’s put ourselves in their position. Some of them have been careless and others may be unable to find work. They are hungry and cold. What would we do if we were hungry and cold and had no means to take care of ourselves? God is blessing our work. I have found that the more we give away, the more we get!

A story from that time goes like this: Father Baker assistants noticed one day that several men in line would receive their meal or a few coins from the humble priest and then rush to the back of the line to receive the money and food again. When told about what was happening, Father Baker’s response caught them off-guard.

When I die, the good lord will not ask me if THEY were worthy.  But he might ask me if I gave.

There was another benefit to all of this generosity.  The boys in Father Baker’s orphanage and protectory who were old enough to receive vocational training soon became masters of their crafts.  Prospective cooks cooked, apprentice cobblers made shoes, young tailors made clothes and would-be farmers got plenty of training in growing crops needed for the free meals.

Truly, this was charity in action: practical, immediate, and rooted in dignity for all.

Segment 2

But Father Baker’s vision didn’t stop at meeting physical needs. While recovering from a broken arm in December of 1931, the humble priest looked out from his bedroom window at the food lines below. Among those waiting were a group of African American men who were speaking with the priests. 

Father Baker, ever the curious sort, sent word down to them to join him in his quarters. When the men came up and stood before him, Father Baker asked how they were doing and what he could do to help.  He ended the conversation with a simple question: “Would any of you like to become Catholic?”

The answer was yes.

And that was all it took.  Father Baker leaned into the idea. Once he recovered, he began teaching a small group of African American men and women about the faith. Thirty at first. Then more. And more.  Said one of the women involved with the program:

Father Baker didn’t seem to mind our ragged clothes or worn-out shoes. He seemed to love us anyway. His hugs and kisses on the forehead or cheek were real and firm. You can’t fool children, especially poor ones. We KNEW he loved us.

The movement quickly grew and soon, Father Thomas Galvin, a former “Baker Boy” himself, joined the effort. Together, Fathers Galvin and Baker led classes that resulted in hundreds of baptisms, First Communions, and Confirmations. By 1935, nearly 700 baptisms had taken place. Additionally, seven weddings between couples who met through the classes were celebrated between 1932 and 1935.

For Father Baker, it wasn’t just about numbers. It was about joy. Of the Black Apostolate, as the program became known, he wrote to a friend:

The work is giving us great pleasure and we feel the Lord is not displeased with us and everything is going smoothly.  Once I thought the only thing that would please me was when I built the Basilica. But this has pleased me more.

Remember that, at this time, Father Baker had reached the age of 90.  But despite his many years, everything in his writing seems to indicate that this program, in particular, reinvigorated him, spiritually and physically.

At a time when segregation and exclusion were the norm, Father Baker’s embrace of the Black community was both radical and Christ-like.

Segment 3

And still, he wasn’t finished.

As the Depression dragged on, young women faced particular hardship. Many were unemployed with nowhere to go and no safety net to catch them. Father Baker recognized the danger: without shelter or support, these women could be forced into desperate situations.

Having seen this same concept work within his existing Working Boys’ Home, he sought out community leaders to assist in the creation of the Working Girls’ Home on Auburn Street in downtown Buffalo. The property served as a safe place where unemployed women could live until they found jobs. 

This new ministry was so successful, a second home was opened on Jersey Street in 1935. 

Father Baker summed the work up simply but powerfully: 

We are saving these poor girls from a bad life and one of misery.

Segment 4

The Great Depression left scars on America. But in Western New York, it also left behind a legacy of compassion, courage, and radical welcome.

Through the heroic work of the “City of Charity,” the Black Apostolate, and the Working Girls Home, Father Baker showed us all what happens when faith meets action. Lives were saved. Souls were welcomed. And communities were strengthened.

In a time of deep despair, he offered the most precious commodity of all: hope.

And maybe that’s the real lesson for us today. Hard times will come, but even in the darkest hours, there’s always room to answer the call — to see a need and to act.

Outro

A very special thanks goes to our guest for this episode, Taylor Epps, journalist at WKBW-TV here in Buffalo, N.Y.  Her warmth and talent helped bring this heroic story to life.  

On behalf of all of those that helped put it together, thank you for listening to this episode of Father Baker: Re-Told.  It is our sincere hope you enjoyed it and learned a thing or two about the “Padre of the Poor” and his remarkable life’s work.

For more information on Venerable Nelson Baker, Western New York’s saint-ly hero, be sure to check out fatherbaker.org, listen to our other podcasts in this series or follow us on social media.  We are grateful for your support.