A shelf at the Jeffco Action Center (credit: CBS)
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) – A nonprofit organization that helps both the homeless and struggling families throughout Jefferson County is in dire need of both food and volunteers to serve all the people in need this Thanksgiving.
The staff at the Jeffco Action Center anticipates they will need to prepare about 5,000 boxes of food for people this Thanksgiving. They’re also short about 150 volunteers — about 400 are needed to distribute the food.
Over the past three years the demand for services at the Action Center has gone up about 40 percent. There were more than 11,000 new clients seeking help last year alone.
Donations have been extremely slow this year and there’s concern there won’t be enough food for Thanksgiving.
“So we’ve been spending a lot of money out of our budget to buy additional food as well, so it has been really tough to stay up on day-to-day food needs, in addition to being prepared for the Thanksgiving food box distribution on Nov. 20,” Executive Director Mag Strittmatter said. “We just don’t really have enough food to pack those 4,500 to 5,000 boxes.”
The Action Center gives out vouchers for meat, but does need all the fixins to help with Thanksgiving boxes. Visit http://wwwmjeffcoac.org for information on how to help.
3 Comments
The website above is WRONG.
The correct site is:
http://www.jeffcoac.org/
November 9, 2011 at 10:26 pm | | Report comment
The problem also is that people are abusing these nonprofits. Food banks are supposed to be a short term fix. But they’ve become an ongoing supermarket for free, free, free, as welfare people visit one food bank after another to load up on free stuff. Some of this food is sold later for easy cash. It’s imperative that strict guidelines be put in place as to who gets free stuff and how often. Asking for donations in times of economic duress has never worked. Governments have no money. It’s up to the nonprofits to fend for themselves.
November 10, 2011 at 9:00 am | | Report comment
I’m so glad you said that, I know that is why I and a lot of people I know no longer give. There is so much abuse, I suspect the folks working at these banks know it but aren’t sure how to fix it.
November 10, 2011 at 12:53 pm | | Report comment