There are people in our community who are trying their very best to make ends meet. They have jobs, work hard, and stretch every penny to be able to pay their bills. They earn slightly too much to qualify for a traditional food pantry program, but they earn far too little to be able to adequately feed themselves or their families. And month after month, they must face the same agonizing question: What are we going to do?
Although they have great need, approximately 46 percent of food insecure families in Washington County may not qualify for food under the guidelines for traditional pantries and various other government food assistance programs.
Will you rise to the challenge?
Food Helpers' Community Outreach Program was specifically designed to help working families who do not qualify for government food assistance programs. And with your support of the Community CARE Fund Challenge, those who are food insecure will not get caught in the gap.
If we are able to successfully raise $250,000 in contributions through this campaign, the Washington County Community Foundation will provide us with a matching grant of $250,000 for our Community Outreach Program. That will result in a total of $500,000 for the food insecure of Washington County who traditionally wouldn’t receive any help! Read the full story here.
Contributions are welcome at any time.
Why?
As with most government funding, food aid is often calculated based upon the Federal poverty calculation, meaning a family of four with two parents working full-time can still be food insecure.
Also, at that income level, that food-insecure family may not be eligible for other governmental rental assistance, utility assistance, education assistance, or child care assistance.
So, on their very limited income, the family must pay their rent, utilities, car allowance, child care expenses,
as well as any medical bills.
After all those payments are made, there is not much money left over for food.
It’s a dilemma. But, Food Helpers has a solution.