Triangle's Largest Food Pantry Struggles
CPO, a Catholic Charities program, is celebrating 35 years of serving the triangle community! We provide emergency food assistance and, when possible, small children's clothing and baby items, such as formula and diapers. In fiscal year 2011:
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Shelves 2009
Shelves 2011 |
We need your help now more than ever!
As a result of continued economic pressures in our area and reduced government funding, CPO is struggling to serve an average of 8,700 people per month. In December 2011 the food pantry served 10,253 people, up 16% from December 2010. Because of the loss of a $90,000 federal grant and our higher client numbers, CPO has had to cut its food purchases by 500,000 pounds which is a 20% reduction. Families will receive 5 days worth of food instead of 7; in the meantime the number of those in need continues to increase. A tax-deductible donation of $25 feeds a family for one week.
CPO does more than just give out food. The food pantry gives hope to its clients by treating them with dignity and respect along with showing that volunteers come together with one purpose - to help them. CPO also provides a food stamp outreach program, and a resource list of other assistance throughout the community. It is a model throughout the state of how to serve the less fortunate in our communities.
Some recently released hunger statistics from Food Research and Action Center (FRAC):
- NC ranks 11th in the nation of households who answered yes when asked if there were times during the past year when they did not have enough money to buy food that they or their family needed.
- 28.5% of NC households with children are food insecure
- 19.6% of NC households without children are food insecure
- 20% of Raleigh/Cary households with children are food insecure (we rank 80th of all US metropolitan areas)
