Tough times taking toll on relief agencies

Tough economic times taking toll on relief agencies in Valley

By WILLIAM K. ALCORN

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

YOUNGSTOWN — Agencies that help feed the needy in the Mahoning Valley see a rising need for their services but aren’t always seeing an increase in the donations that pay for them.

Jean Malandro of the Salvation Army said need is up, but donations are down.

In addition, many of those seeking help tell agency workers they used to donate to people in need.

The largest increase in individuals’ seeking food assistance has been among seniors with children, said Rebecca Martinez of Second Harvest Food Bank Mahoning Valley.

The Food Bank’s 152 hunger-relief organizations in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties provide food to 11,000 people each week, Martinez said.

“We don’t request employment-status information for those visiting our member agencies, but anecdotally, a large percentage of those visiting church pantries (representing 90 percent of agencies) are working full time, part time or have recently become unemployed,” she said.

This year, the Salvation Army doubled the number of families it assisted with groceries in 2008; the number of people it feeds is up 45 percent over last year, and the agency increased its lunch program from weekdays two weeks a month to every weekday of the month, Malandro said.

“We are seeing more working poor. We don’t ask any questions, but a lot will tell me their story. They are working and just can’t make things work, and the agencies I try to refer them to are tapped out too,” said Ralph “Skip” Barone, manager of the St. Vincent De Paul Society Food Bank kitchen at 208 W. Front St.

“We need help in every area,” said the Rev. David Sherrard of Rescue Mission of Mahoning Valley.

Donations of turkeys for Thanksgiving Day dinners the mission served at its family reunion Wednesday and to the general public Thursday were down about 50 percent, the Rev. Mr. Sherrard said.

“I’ve been here 20 years, and I’m seeing faces and families that I’ve never seen before. We’ve always had people come to us that are down and out, who need shelter. Now, we have more people coming for help who are the working poor and working homeless,” he said.

The mission receives a lot of requests for food baskets, but donations of food to stock the shelves and for food baskets are down as well. It’s across the board, he said.

“If it is not given to us, we can’t give it away,” said Mr. Sherrard.

Contributions to the Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign, which runs through Dec. 24, are down 20 percent from 2008.

“Red Kettle donations provide 75 [percent] to 80 percent of our entire budget, and we had hoped to raise more this year that last year, which was $285,000 in Mahoning County, Malandro said.

But, she said, “We’re trusting God, and he has provided so far.”

“We put out a call for turkeys, and the community response was wonderful. We received about 100. ... We [didn’t] use them all at Thanksgiving; we’ll give them out at Christmas to eligible families with three or more members,” Malandro said.

There is more encouraging news.

Barone said that though the need is up and constant — St. Vincent De Paul served 8,256 people through October, up nearly a thousand over the same period in 2009 — “we’re able to handle it” because donations are also up.

“Our benefactors have been very generous donating money and their time as volunteers. It’s a real blessing for us,” Barone said.

Requests are up 35 percent over last year, said Nancy Voitus, director of Catholic Charities Regional Agency, which has sites in Warren, Lisbon and East Liverpool.

But like St. Vincent De Paul Society, donations of food baskets and vouchers and money also are up over last year, Voitus said.

And this Thanksgiving Day, a collaboration among Catholic Charities, Antone’s Banquet Centre in Boardman and the Youngstown/Mahoning Valley United Way prepared and delivered 1,500 meals Wednesday and Thursday.

“It’s an awesome project. Antone’s is unbelievably generous in doing this project,” she said.

The St. Vincent De Paul Society Food Bank’s pantry at 317 Via Mount Carmel has seen a 15 percent increase in the number of food boxes distributed this year over 2008, said Sister Millie Ely H.M.

“We’re getting requests for food boxes from people that are asking for the first time. We are getting 60 people a day in just to pick up bread and buns,” she said.

Surprisingly, people are responding and donations are not down that much. I’d have to say, people and organizations are being pretty generous. And, we’ve been awfully busy. I can’t say enough about the generosity of the volunteers,” Sister Ely said.

alcorn@vindy.com

Second Harvest Food Bank of Mahoning Valley

- Provides food for 11,000 people each week via 152 hunger-relief organizations in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties.

Salvation Army

- This year doubled the number of families assisted with groceries over last year; and the number of people fed daily is 45 percent higher this year than in 2008.

Catholic Charities Regional Agency

- Requests are up an estimated 35 percent over 2008.

St. Vincent De Paul Society Food Bank Pantry

- Through October, the number of boxes of food provided is up 15 percent. Sixty 60 people a day pick up bread.

St. Vincent De Paul Society Food Bank Kitchen

- In 2008, served free 73,000 meals. Already this year, has served 75,000 meals and will probably serve 80,000 to 85,000 meals by year’s end.

Rescue Mission of Mahoning Valley

- Turkey donations for Thanksgiving week dinners are off 50 percent from last year.