Fifth-graders from St. Patrick School rpitched in at the Catholic Charities’ food pantry in Charlotte – organizing and stocking shelves and packing bags of food to be distributed to people in need. (File, Catholic News Herald)CHARLOTTE — Thousands of children will soon be home from school for the summer and facing food insecurity. And this year, inflation is taking a toll on many working families who are struggling with difficult decisions about how to use their limited financial resources.
In response, Catholic Charities is gearing up to provide nutritious food and essential supplies to families in need this summer through its food pantries in Asheville, Charlotte and Winston-Salem.
Last year Catholic Charities provided 553,889 pounds of food to 9,918 people in need across western North Carolina, and the charitable agency is calling for help again this year – especially given the increased need.
“In the last four months, with inflation and rising gas and food prices, we’re serving 150 to 170 families on the second Tuesday of each month (at the Woodfin Community Center), which is around 600 people in just two hours,” says Jesse Boeckermann, Catholic Charities’ western region director in Asheville.
Individual donations at all three food pantry locations are always welcome, as is collections from food drives organized by parishes, schools and groups. For large donations, please schedule a drop-off in advance by calling 828-255-0146 in Asheville, 704-370-3228 in Charlotte, or 336-727-0705 in Winston-Salem.
At this time of year, the food pantries particularly welcome food items that young people can make at home themselves – such as individual serving cups of macaroni and cheese, individually wrapped snacks, cereal bars, and juice boxes.
Items needed year-round include juice, tea and coffee, rice, beans, spaghetti sauce, tuna, pasta, peanut butter, jelly, cereal, canned fruits and vegetables, and canned soup.
Non-food items – including diapers, baby wipes, toiletries, laundry detergent, hygiene products and paper products such as toilet paper – are also always needed.
Catholic Charities’ Asheville Regional Office (in partnership with MANNA Food Bank) and the Charlotte food pantry can also accept refrigerated products such as milk, eggs, meat, yogurt, cheese and fresh produce.
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter
Get involved
At www.ccdoc.org: Learn more about how you can donate, volunteer or give to help Catholic Charities serve people in need across the Diocese of Charlotte