Grants Allow Food Pantries to Do More

posted 1/6/18 -- LCCAA and its partners know how difficult breaking the cycle of poverty can be.

Food pantry grantee We Care We Share Ministries (1888 E. 31st St., Lorain) uses an all volunteer staff to run a food pantry, clothing closet, counseling and collaborating to provide wrap around services such as health screenings and nutrition classes.

Since its founding in 2007 the ministry has grown exponentially. President William Hurley and the volunteers serve approximately 800 families a month. In 2016, they helped more than 30,000 community members and since 2007, volunteers have donated more than 350,000 pounds of food to those in need.

By providing a full list of services, We Care We Share Ministries, has turned some of their customers into volunteers. For example, a customer named Jack shows up to shovel the walk way the day immediately following a snow storm because as he puts it: “I wanted to help because they help the community.”

“They are kind and they will do anything to help people,” he added. “They are basically like a family to the community. I shovel here to return the favor for always helping me out.”

We Care We Share Ministries continues to work to get the most out of every penny received.

“With the amount (of money) we receive from Lorain County Community Action Agency (LCCAA) we are able to provide meat and other foods to families in the winter months,” Hurley said.

“I have empathy for our customers because I have struggled too,” he added. “These are our people. We want to have long term solutions not more band-aids. We hope to move people from dependence to independence.”

We Care We Share Ministries can be reached by email at [email protected] or on their Facebook page. Their food pantry is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 4 p.m. and the clothing closet is open Wednesdays from 1 to 5 p.m.