By Monsignor Noel C. Burtenshaw

The story of Five-For-Food has been told over and over.

It was the brainchild of Marguerite Oberg of the Cathedral of Christ the King parish. Speaking with some friends at a cocktail party one night, Marguerite -- long-time supporter of St. Vincent projects -- hit on the idea. Let's ask everyone to give us a mere $5 for food for the poor each month. It's little or nothing out of our pockets and it works miracles for the poor."

And it caught fire. The Georgia Bulletin story explaining this adventure for the Atlanta poor seized the imagination of many throughout the nation. The National Catholic News Service carried the tale on the wire and Marguerite's idea went national.

"I hear from many parts of the nation each month," says Marguerite Oberg. "I get nice letters and little checks from Nevada and Florida and other parts. I hear from people I have never seen in Georgia. I get letters from people anxious to help in East Point, Decatur, Roswell and all over. It's really been an experience. We are most grateful to them."

But Marguerite Oberg is not entirely satisfied with her mission or with her army of responders.

"I have two problems," the good lady of charity laments. "First of all, not all my pledgers are coming through. They forget the pledge they made. Five dollars per month is $60 per year. I was hoping most people would just give me the $60. They didn't, and our pledge-makers could be doing better. I should be getting $2,500 per month. I actually have $2,100 per month."

But Marguerite Oberg's second problem is her disappointment that more familiar people in her own surroundings and parish have not responded. "For example," says the founder of Five-For-Food, "I have not heard from you, Father." (I am blushing as she says it.) Nor have I heard from very many other priests. And lots of people who know the needs and could easily respond with the monthly few dollars, have not done so. I can't understand it. It means so little to them and so much to the poor."

Those poor and needy families are an obsession to Marguerite Oberg. You just ask, are the victims of hunger that many? "Oh yes, indeed," she replies. "We used to be able to feed four families for one month on $2,200. Now that amount of money lasts merely two and a half weeks. More and more keep coming. We have many more to feed. And they will come a long distance to get what we have to give. When people without a car cross town simply to pick up a bag of groceries, they are in pretty bad shape."

When her plan for food was formed, Marguerite Oberg set a budget of $30,000 to cover the year, which began in February 1982. "Obviously that has proved to be useful, but not enough. We are now planning on budgeting $50,000 for next year. We really cannot meet the needs of this program under that amount. I do hope our requests are heard."

Marguerite Oberg's fervent hope is through communication about this project from each parish leader and each pastor to his parish. For her and John, her husband, this is a hometown must for North Georgia Catholics -- a chance to reach out locally and touch those who are among the most hungry in the nation.

The good lady did not say it as we concluded our interview, but I know she was thinking it. "Father, don't forget your input, will you?"

No Marguerite, I promise. I won't.