Message from the Director
It was difficult for me to grasp – and accept – the numbers before me as I read the northwest Pennsylvania results of the hunger study that Second Harvest participated in last year. I read that, since the last hunger study in 2005, we have a 40 percent increase in the number of individuals who receive food annually through Second Harvest. That new number is 72,600. Perhaps even more significant, in any given week, 20,700 people receive food through Second Harvest. A summary of the results, the full report, and our News story about our announcement of the results are available on this website.
Our troubled economy and high unemployment rates have certainly contributed to an increased need for food among so many people in Second Harvest’s 11-county service area. Still, there has been an alarming increase in the number of people who need help obtaining adequate food and nutrition. Among the most vulnerable of this group are children under 18 years old. The percentage of children – 30 percent – among the people we serve remains the same as it did four years ago, but the number is much higher – 21,780.
Even with the availability of school lunch and breakfast programs, Kids Cafes and BackPack Programs, 12 percent of the children served by Second Harvest sometimes skip meals because their families don’t have enough money to pay for adequate food.
How will Second Harvest meet this growing need? We depend on the generosity of our food donors, financial contributors, and organizers of fundraisers and food drives. One of our latest major donors is the GEICO Philanthropic Foundation, which has contributed $25,000 for mobile food pantries. See more about this generous donation and photos from the first GEICO-funded mobile pantry in our News story. Three donors in Warren County – Blair, Whirley-DrinkWorks! and The Community Foundation of Warren County – recently contributed a total of $27,960 for mobile pantries in Warren County.
Second Harvest is grateful for these and all donations. How can you help? I invite you to donate, to organize a fundraiser or food drive, or to volunteer. You can help us provide good nutrition and adequate food to many more of your neighbors in need.
Karen S. Seggi, Executive Director
April 1, 2010