CONCORD – With many families still struggling to put food on the table, Cooperative Christian Ministry is serving record numbers through its Crisis Center and satellite pantries. In May, all of the pantries set monthly records for households served, individuals served and pounds of food distributed. At the Concord Crisis Center, the number of households served is up 33 percent from May 2012.
These numbers are expected to continue rising, as struggling families work towards stability, students get out for the summer and the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services continues the NC Fast records conversion, the agency said in a news release.
In North Carolina, one in 7 children receiving free and reduced lunch at school receives lunch in the summer. This means six children do not, and their parents and caretakers turn to organizations like CCM for help.
“We continue to have a lot of first-time families come through our food pantries, as well as returning families,” Food Program Manager Barry Porter says. “As students finish school, their parents have to find a way to feed them breakfast and lunch every day. Even though our food donations have increased from the community, the demand for food is out-pacing the donations, especially during the summer, when more children are eating at home.”
To help offset the low numbers of non-perishable food items available at the CCM pantries – including 9 satellite pantries and the Crisis Center pantry – CCM is hosting its second summer food drive. Non-perishable food items, including canned and boxed goods, can be brought to any of the CCM pantries as well as drop-off locations at businesses throughout the community.
Kannapolis and Concord Cannon Pharmacy locations; On the Run Convenience Stores, owned by Propst Brothers Distributors; Concord and Kannapolis F&M Bank branch locations; Centerview Hardware in Kannapolis; and the Concord-Kannapolis Independent Tribune will be drop-off locations for food items through the end of August. Simply bring non-perishable food items to the business to help refill the pantries at CCM. Glass jars are not recommended, due to the possibility of breakage during transport.