advertisement

4C's continue to serve local families

HARRISBURG – The board of a Christian-based social service heard news that it continues to serve local residents while reducing expenditures.

The Christian Community Compassion Center in Harrisburg, which provides a food pantry, a homeless shelter and financial help for utility bills through its various areas of service, spent less in the month of March for food than it ever has since it opened in 2010.

"We spent about $600 last month, which I believe is an all-time low," 4C's board chairman Don Gossett told board members.

Gossett said the food pantry arm of the organization continues to find donations for food, which means it does not have to spend money to buy food, but it remains important to seek out additional donations.

Mona Crim, interim director of the food pantry, said her facility served a large number of local households as well in March.

"We served 330 households, and there were 788 people in those households," Crim said. "About 210 of them were on SNAP benefits. It is startling to me that some people on SNAP still need help with food."

SNAP is the acronym for the supplemental nutrition assistance program, formerly known as "food stamps."

Board members also learned that Helping Hands, the division of the organization that helps qualified individuals or families with utility bills, served 36 families in March, including seven new families.

Volunteers are always welcome to the program. For more information, call (618) 252-2374.