Hunger doesn’t take the summer off, and Catholic Charities is asking its friends to “Stock the Pantry” by donating nonperishable food goods during the month of June.
Donors can drop off food and grocery store gift cards at Catholic Charities locations in the Diocese of Wilmington during business hours.
“Today, many of our neighbors are making tough choices in order to survive, such as, ‘Do I pay the rent, or do I buy food?’” said Richelle Vible, Catholic Charities’ executive director.
“The benefit reduction in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps, further penalizes low-income households already at risk of going hungry. We continue to need your support to meet the increasing demand we are experiencing.”
Catholic Charities coordinates food cooperative programs at Bayard House in New Castle County, the Kent County Catholic Charities office in Dover, Casa San Francisco in Sussex County, and at Seton Center in Somerset County, Md.
Residents can apply for membership in the programs by contacting the location closest to them. For those in crisis who need food, Casa and Seton Center operate emergency food pantries.
Catholic Charities serves more than 3,000 households each year through its food distribution programs.
In addition to nonperishable food and grocery store gift cards, Catholic Charities will also accept monetary donations in order to purchase additional food to fill bags for the food distribution programs.
To make an online monetary donation, visit Catholic Charities’ secure donation site, www.cdow.org/ccdonation.html. Under “Please designate my gift to the following ministry” choose Food Distribution Programs.
Catholic Charities will accept donations at its locations Mondays through Fridays between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Food donations can be dropped off at:
l Catholic Charities’ main office, 2601 W. Fourth St., Wilmington, (302) 655-9624.
l Bayard House (accepts donations seven days a week; call ahead), 300 Bayard Ave., Wilmington, (302) 654-1184.
l Marydale Retirement Village, 135 Jeandell Drive, Newark, (302) 368-2784.
l Kent County Catholic Charities’ office, 2099 S. DuPont Hwy., Dover, (302) 674-1600.
l Sussex County Catholic Charities’ office, 406 S. Bedford St., Suite 9, Georgetown, (302) 856-9578.
l Casa San Francisco (accepts donations seven days a week; call ahead), 127 Broad St., Milton, (302) 684-8694.
l Seton Center, 30632 Hampden Ave., Princess Ann, Md., (410) 651-9608.
Suggested items for donation include nonperishable and shelf stable items. Catholic Charities needs the following items: canned meats (chicken, tuna, salmon); vegetables and fruit; canned meals (soup, chili, stew, corned beef hash); dried and canned beans; boxes of pasta, macaroni and cheese, crackers, cereal, oatmeal and pancake mix; jars of peanut butter and jelly; juices, coffee, tea, hot cocoa mix, instant breakfasts; shelf-stable milk – canned, dry, evaporated, or U.H.T. fluid milk in aseptic containers; baby food and cereal; condiments like spreads, ketchup, mustard, relish, barbecue sauce, pickles and syrup; cleaning products; and personal hygiene items, including infant diapers, soap, shampoo and deodorant.
