FOOD FOR OUR NEIGHBORS
"For I was hungry and you gave me food..."
Matthew 25:35
Throughout February we are collecting all kinds of juice.
Financial uncertainty, unemployment, and homelessness continue to be a reality for so many people and we continue to be challenged to meet the ever increasing needs of our neighbors. Each month specific items are collected to donate to the West Chester Food Cupboard (formerly Cares Food Network). Members and friends are invited to bring designated items and put them in the containers marked Food for our Neighbors located throughout the church. The Food for Our Neighbors calendar lists the food items to be brought each month. Download a calendar here or pick one up in the office or from the information center in the narthex.
The HUNGER Dilemma in the USA
Take a quiz at the Feeding America web site to see how much you know about the issue of hunger.
Last year in the U.S., a whopping 99 percent of food banks stated that they experienced an increase in the number of hungry people seeking help. This increase in need is a result of several factors including rising unemployment, the rising cost of food, mortgage and rent issues, and the rising cost of fuel.
Even more alarming is the fact that 81 percent of food banks say they’re unable to meet this high demand without reducing the amount of food given or their operations. Government money is way down and donations around the country are also down.
With the downturn in the economy local food cupboards are seeing growing crowds of people in need. "I can't believe I'm here" and "I feel embarrassed, like a loser" are comments that have been overheard, as increasing numbers of people who have never had to ask for help before come for emergency food. Job losses and home foreclosures will mean increasing demands on our food cupboards and we need to keep up our donations.
Contact Fiona Allison at fmallison@comcast.net or Trudy Warren at gtwarren@ccil.org for more information, or for more ways of supporting this program and the West Chester Food Cupboard. See below two Westminster volunteers working at the Food Cupboard.
