Spike in Demand Puts Strain on Food Pantry
By: Tim Studebaker
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PROVIDENCE, R.I. – As Thanksgiving gets closer, the lines get longer at food pantries across the state. The food pantry at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Providence is seeing that demand.
The Food Ministry Director for the parish, Sister Angela Daniels, says, “Right now is the first distribution for Thanksgiving. We’ve just begun.”
Sister Daniels says the parish’s food pantry served more than 44,000 people this past year. That’s 6,500 more people than the year before. She believes problems in the UHIP state benefits system may be leaving more people in need.
Daniels says, “We found out that they didn’t get their food stamps over the year, and they didn’t get their benefits. Someone told them that we were here.”
The increased demand puts a strain on their resources, but the sister says they get by.
Daniels says, “6,500 is a lot of people – yeah – overwhelming. But, we’ve been able to help them all, and that’s a blessing. We’ve never had to turn anyone away. But, it’s because of the generosity of other people.”
The pantry relies on donations and volunteers to provide food for people in need, all to help with a basic need we all have.
Daniels says, “People are very hungry. When you stand in line for a bag of food, you’re hungry.”
If you’d like to give, you can donate directly to the food pantry. Also, the Home Loan Foundation is hosting a fundraiser at the end of this month to benefit the food pantry. You can find information here: http://www.artsnowri.com/event/detail/442021508/The_Home_Loan_Foundation_6th_Annual_Assumption_Parish_Food_Ministry_Fundraiser
©WLNE-TV / ABC6 2017
