Cornersburg church adopts new strategies to meet rising tide of poverty in Valley

Cornersburg church adopts new strategies to meet rising tide of poverty in Valley

By AMANDA C. DAVIS

news@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

The face of poverty in the Mahoning Valley is changing quickly, but a caring congregation is trying to meet the rising demand for food.

Pam Raeburn, coordinator of food distribution at Zion Lutheran Church in Cornersburg, said she’s seen that need triple in the 12 years she’s headed up the program.

It used to be that folks who needed a hand up were unemployed or homeless, she said. Today, people who earn minimum wage or are retired are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet, given the upward creeping gas and food prices, she explained.

The church budget hasn’t been able to meet the demand for some time, so volunteers canvass the community, accepting donations of food, money and supplies.

“There were times I literally cried because I had to turn people away because I had nothing left on the [pantry] shelf,” Raeburn said.

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.