Carolyn McNulty, well-known Saint John social activist, dies

Carolyn McNulty, a social activist and founder of Saint John's Romero House Soup Kitchen, has died.

McNulty, who was born in 1939 on the west side of Saint John, is best known for founding the soup kitchen in 1982.

She was named to the Order of Canada in 2003 and was described as "a model of caring, compassion and understanding for the impoverished, the homeless and those in despair."

McNulty also served as co-ordinator of the West Side Food Bank, helped set up the Saint John Legal Centre and was a board member of both the Saint John Outreach Clinic and the Saint John Ability Awareness Council.

McNulty's family says she died of congestive heart failure. 

Her funeral will be at Our Lady of the Assumption parish in Saint John on Friday.

Deputy Mayor Shirley McAlary said she worked with McNulty over the years and watched how she would fight for the underprivileged in the city.

"She never gave up. There were many, many hard times, especially when she first got started and there wasn't enough money," she said.

"She was a tremendous supporter of the under privileged."

McAlary said McNulty understood that there were always people who needed a helping hand and she'd be there to lend it, whether it was Christmas Day or any other day of the week.

"I think her biggest legacy would be [her message of] how people should reach out and help somebody else who is in need," she said.

Saint John MLA Dorothy Shephard said McNulty leaves behind a legacy of working for others.

"I met Carolyn a few times. And what I remember most is that she founded Romero House based on Christian values — to give, and fill a need without expecting anything in return," she said in an email.

"And with that she leaves a tremendous legacy and life lesson for all of us to follow."