In down economy, shelters seeing more people in need

Cydney Cappello

Sen. Harry Reid discusses Southern Nevada’s hunger issues at Three Square Food Bank Monday.

By Cydney Cappello (contact)

Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2008 | 1:50 a.m.

In just a few days families will gather around a table covered in traditional Thanksgiving Day trimmings, but for many of Las Vegas' low-income families, that table could be at a shelter instead of their own kitchen.

Sen. Harry Reid on Monday visited Three Square Food Bank, 4190 N. Pecos Road, to acknowledge the food bank’s successes and to outline its needs ahead of the holiday.

“We have in Southern Nevada thousands of people … people who work, people who have a home who are still hungry and it's getting worse, not better,” Reid said. “It's not limited to any demographic group -- kids are hungry, seniors are hungry. Sadly, more families are turning to food banks for their food wants. In the past eight months, food bank needs have gone up in our country by 20 percent.”

Three Square is a fast-growing food bank, distributing nearly 10,000 pounds of food to area nonprofits and religious organizations, a feat that organizers say food banks do not normally reach until they’ve been established for at least 20 years. Three Square opened its doors 11 months ago.

“We distribute to over 200 nonprofit organizations and faith-based groups, the churches, and so the way it works is that way they can focus on their mission of helping seniors or children, whatever their mission is, and leave the food to us,” Three Square chief executive officer Julie Murray said.

Three Square workers have been gathering food for the many different shelters and churches offering Thanksgiving Day meals this Thursday, but donations have been inconsistent.

“Donations from corporations are decreasing; however, donations from individuals and foundations are staying static or increasing,” Murray said.

A recent Meals On Wheels Association of America survey indicated 61 percent of its organizations are experiencing a decrease in corporate donations and 68 percent are experiencing decreases in individual donations.

Southern Nevada Catholic Charities community relations director Sharon Mann said the Las Vegas Valley’s Meals On Wheels program is no different, except it has a third problem – funding from grants.

“We serve about 1,100 seniors every week, they each get seven meals, but we can’t add any more to the program because we do not have the funding to do that,” Mann said.

The Las Vegas area Meals On Wheels program is run by grant funding and this year it ran out of funds a few months before the new grant year began in October. Mann said the amount of people needing assistance has doubled since last year, so while donations have remained about the same, the program’s spending has increased because there are more mouths to feed.

“More and more of our clients are still working, but have just run into such financial struggles that they can’t afford to buy the food they need every month … just everyday folks who have run into tough times," she said.

The Las Vegas Rescue Mission has similar stories.

They’re coming here with cell phones and dress nicely to feed their families because the food is just not in the budget after everything else,” said Christal Krehnovi, the Rescue Mission's development and relationship manager. “We’re also seeing too that the folks that used to at one time be donors and volunteers are now seeking our services from a need perspective.”

Krehnovi said the organization is expecting 1,500 individuals for its annual Thanksgiving feast – double the amount of last year. Even though there will be more mouths to feed this year, Mann said she thinks the warm meal will give hope.

“It’s such a tough time for so many people right now that if you can carry on with a tradition of Thanksgiving and have that meal, it does bring some hope that if you can at least sit down as a family, give thanks and have that American tradition, it does something good for the morale and helps people get through the tough times,” she said.