Donations crucial as demand expected to increase
CHARLOTTE — Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte continues to provide food and community services to people in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. And with schools and many businesses closed across North Carolina as public health officials attempt to slow the spread of the virus, the need for the food and financial help that Catholic Charities provides is expected to increase.
Among other anti-poverty efforts, Catholic Charities operates food pantries in Asheville, Charlotte and Winston-Salem, serving upwards of 14,000 people each year and distributing more than a half million pounds of food. The agency is now gearing up to respond to what is expected to be a greater need for food from people who have lost their jobs and children who are no longer receiving school meals.
The need for social distancing during the pandemic, however, also means temporary adjustments to how the charitable agency can serve people. Instead of allowing clients to shop for themselves inside the food pantries and providing other one-on-one assistance with agency counselors, food supplies are being distributed to people outside, with curbside delivery. Food pantry hours are also being limited, and pantry volunteers are working in smaller groups.
Becky Dubois, Catholic Charities’ Winston-Salem office director, noted the new approach she and the other Catholic Charities offices are taking to respond in this unprecedented crisis.
“Catholic Charities has made changes to our food distribution process to protect the health and well-being of our participants, volunteers and staff while meeting the vital food needs of our participants and community,” Dubois said. “We are distributing food to our TOP (Transition Out of Poverty) participants who had appointments scheduled, we condensed distribution from three half-days a week to one half-day a week, and we are pre-packing non-perishable foods.”
“We are doing curbside pickup and asking people not to leave their vehicles,” she continued. “Only staff and volunteers are allowed in the building at this time for safety reasons.”
DuBois recommends that people who wish to donate food to the pantry in their area should call the office first to determine the best time to bring in their donations.
Catholic Charities staff at each location are working out all these logistical challenges as quickly as possible, but also looking ahead to how the community’s needs might change during the pandemic. The agency will need to continue providing critical support to people as prolonged unemployment and economic losses hit already vulnerable western North Carolina communities.
“We are rapidly attempting to identify additional sources of revenue to address the expected increase in need,” said Dr. Gerard Carter, Catholic Charities’ executive director. “We are actively seeking general gifts that can be used to help individuals as they deal with the economic consequences of COVID-19.”
Carter encourages people to remain focused on the Church’s mission and to keep praying.
“As we confront the realities of a worldwide response to the COVID-19, we join with Pope Francis in offering up prayers of petition to our Heavenly Father through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary,” he said. “It is important to remember, as spoken by His Holiness, ‘In this unprecedented situation, when everything seems to be vacillating, let us help each other remain steady in what really matters.’”
“Helping remain steady is what we are doing at Catholic Charities,” he said. “Over the past 70 years we have been privileged to serve those in need and this commitment remains as strong today as ever.”
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter.
Pictured: Students, parents and staff of Holy Trinity Middle School made a special food delivery March 16 to Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte’s food pantry at the Diocesan Pastoral Center. Food donations will be critical to parishes’ and Catholic Charities’ food pantries, as more people find themselves out of work and children are expected to remain home from North Carolina public schools until mid-May. (Photo from Facebook)
How you can help
Right now, financial donations to enable Catholic Charities to buy food are an effective way to help serve people in need. Make donations online at www.ccdoc.org (click on “Donate”); or by mail to: Catholic Charities, Central Processing, 1123 S. Church St., Charlotte, NC 28203.
Need assistance?
Catholic Charities intends to continue offering services to as many people in need as possible. People in western North Carolina can reach out to their local Catholic Charities office: 828-255-0146 in Asheville; 704-370-3228 in Charlotte; and 336-727-0705 in Winston-Salem.
Individuals needing assistance can also call 2-1-1 to find up-to-date information on available community services that may be available. 2-1-1 was created to help people get information about local food pantries, medical resources and possible changes to government benefits.