Dear Friend,
Summer is in full swing, but fall is just around the corner. The new school year will be starting soon, bringing excitement and new routines.
Sadly, for many of our southwestern Pennsylvania neighbors, food insecurity and hunger are part of that routine. As the cost of food remains elevated, our neighbors continue to have a difficult time buying the nutritious food they need to stay nourished and healthy.
Some children will start receiving free meals when they go back to school, easing the challenge families face in providing extra meals at home. But we still have weeks before that happens, and children need a steady source of vitamins and nutrients to grow, develop and thrive. And they’re not the only ones experiencing hunger and hardship right now.
But thanks to you and your tremendous support, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank can help provide the nutritious meals our neighbors need. I hope you enjoy this edition of News from the Heart and are reminded of the vital difference your support means to families in our community.
Then, I hope you’ll consider giving to help even more southwestern Pennsylvanians. When every $1 can help provide 3 meals, you can change countless lives this summer and provide a strong start to the school year.
Gratefully,
Lisa A. Scales
President and CEO
“As a Parent, It Helps a Lot”
For Michelle, summers bring both joy and challenges. With four children under the age of 18 at home, balancing family needs and a household budget isn’t always easy. And as a school employee, summers also mean a temporary pause in her job, which can cause financial strain.
“It can be tight,” Michelle shares. “It can be hard with prices of things going up, trying to have meals, milk, bread.”
During the school year, her children have access to breakfasts and lunches at school. But when school is out, Michelle notices a significant increase in her family’s food expenses. Staples like milk, eggs, cereal and fruit quickly add up, especially when feeding a growing family.
“For a gallon of milk, it’s almost $5. I mean, in a home of six people, that doesn’t last a day or two,” she says.
Michelle and her husband, who works at a plant in Morgantown, have learned how to make every penny count. Couponing, food pantries and summer meal programs play a vital role in bridging the meal gap. She’s thankful for the Corner Cupboard Food Bank, and the monthly distributions held right in her community.
“As a parent, it helps a lot, especially the milk products, the produce … the lunches they enjoy,” Michelle says. “It’s been a great thing for the kids in the area.”
Michelle knows she isn’t alone. And as families continue stretching their budgets to afford the high price of healthy food, we’re grateful for the support you give to help provide those extra meals this summer.
“It’s tough for everyone, even working parents,” she reflects. “It’s easy access here. You don’t have to travel far, and it’s been a great help.”
Thanks to your ongoing support, families like Michelle’s are able to manage the summer months just a little easier.
Creating a Lasting Legacy of Hope
When Kevin Delaney passed unexpectedly in 2018, family members found themselves searching for a way to honor his memory. Kevin, a devoted Michigan State University graduate and sports enthusiast, loved gardening and outdoor pursuits … and friendly competition. He had a quiet humor and held deep connections within a wide network of friends. His loss affected countless family, friends and colleagues across the country.
To celebrate his life in a meaningful way, Kevin’s brother launched the Kevin J. Delaney Memorial Fund in partnership with the Food Bank. “He meant a lot to us,” says Kevin’s brother, who wishes to remain anonymous. “Being able to create something with his name on it — that is so positive — just seemed like the right way to try to compensate for some of
the sadness.”
The Food Bank’s mission resonated deeply with Kevin’s brother — particularly as the pandemic shed new light on food insecurity. He says the Food Bank team made the process of creating the fund seamless and easy.
“We have been really impressed with the care with which the Food Bank has addressed the fund, the objectives of it, and ensuring that what they’re doing is really well aligned with what we would like to achieve,” Kevin’s brother says.
The fund created in Kevin’s honor aims to provide stable, long-term support. Whether applied to existing programs or funding new initiatives, Kevin’s brother chose the Food Bank because the ongoing contribution will make a meaningful impact for neighbors facing hunger.
The fund has also provided a measure of solace. “Losing Kevin was incredibly difficult and incredibly sad,” he explains. “Seeing this fund do good things over an extended period of time, I think it’s going to soothe some of those difficult feelings.”
Kevin’s legacy now lives on, not just within his family and friends, but in the positive change the fund fosters in the community.
Corner Cupboard Food Bank Expands Outreach
The Corner Cupboard Food Bank is a source of food and hope for families in Greene County. From managing 11 volunteer-run pantry sites to distributing boxes of food and Kids’ Bags, their impact is felt across the community.
“We’re most known for our pantry distribution program,” says Candace, a representative for Corner Cupboard. They oversee food collection, donations and purchasing, then send products to pantry sites where volunteers sort and pack items. Each site has a designated day every month to distribute the boxes to neighbors.
Now that we’re headed into the summer months, the Kids’ Bags program is especially important. Designed to serve children up to age 17 during summer months and holiday breaks, the bags include single-serve, ready-to-eat items that ensure children don’t go hungry while school is out.
Corner Cupboard Food Bank is also able to deliver nutritious food into underserved communities around Greene County thanks to a generous donation of an ice cream truck, retrofitted to meet food distribution needs.
“At that time we had two vehicles. We had a 12-foot box truck, which we still use quite often, and I was thinking ahead. If we have more vehicles, we can do more things and get out into the community more,” Candace explains. “It was super cool that it was an ice cream truck … then a bonus is that we have freezers.”
The truck has enabled Corner Cupboard to help twice as many children than they originally expected. “Of the six sites that we service, almost every single site is now averaging about 100 kids,” Candace shares. “We aren’t able to deliver to thousands of individuals. But with this program we are able in kind of a smaller capacity — although it’s growing by the week — to still take the food out to people.”
Corner Cupboard Food Bank’s dedicated team of four staff members continues to find new ways to connect with their neighbors. “There’s always a need,” Candace adds. “And it’s exciting that we are able to offer this to our community.”
Thank you for supporting the programs that work to reach our rural communities. You’re making a difference in Greene County and beyond.
“It’s Like a Weight Lifted Off My Shoulders”
For Dominique and her husband, providing for a household of six is a daily juggling act. Rising prices for food and essentials have made keeping up with expenses increasingly challenging. Her husband is starting a new job, which should help, but it’s hard for Dominique to work outside of the home when child care is an additional expense.
“It is super hard,” Dominique shares. “Before, it seemed easy, and now it’s just getting harder. … The cost of everything just keeps skyrocketing.”
Dominique’s children are between the ages of 3 and 10, so summertime means they are home on break and no longer able to access free or reduced-price meals at school. Making ends meet often involves tough financial decisions, choosing food over bills and rationing snacks to ensure they last.
“Every morning I wake up and get their snacks ready. I tell them, ‘This is our bin for today,’ but it’s usually gone before I know it,” she says, noting that fresh fruits — which she prefers as a healthy alternative to processed snacks — are becoming increasingly costly.
The food distributions from Corner Cupboard Food Bank have been a summertime game changer for Dominique. She especially appreciates the fresh produce and healthy foods her kids love, and it’s all thanks to friends like you.
“It’s like a weight lifted off my shoulders,” she says. “It’s so nice to know that there is food that I don’t have to scrape money up for. And it almost brings tears to my eyes because it’s so nice to have it.”
Aside from the food, Dominique loves that the community comes together to make it all happen. “Knowing that it’s here and able to provide for people feels so generous. It’s life-changing,” she says. “I’m so glad to be a part of it.”
Thank you for providing more than just food. You offer hope and stability in uncertain times.