LCCAA Provided Grants to Food Pantries
posted 1/3/24 -- LCCAA provided grants to area food pantries to assist with holiday needs for the 10th year.Funding was provided to 10 pantries throughout the county to purchase food or grocery items for distribution between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31. Each pantry received $800 to serve residents living at or below 125% of the federal poverty level.
LCCAA has offered the grants since drastic cuts were made in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in 2013.
“Those cuts left more people reliant on food pantries,” said Tosha Craighead, Assistant Planning and Community Services Director. “The situation has only gotten worse since COVID impacted people’s ability to work and related relief has ended.”
Lorain Lighthouse UMC’s pantry at the church on Meister Road received a grant.
“We are one of the few choice pantries around,” said Program Coordinator Debbie Hughes, who also serves on the LCCAA Board of Directors. “I used the grant money to purchase items people can’t get at the pre-packaged pantries.”
Hughes said one popular item at her pantry is a selection of spices and salad dressings.
“Spices are an item that can be pricey but are very useful,” she said. “I don’t provide fresh produce because I don’t have refrigeration, but I want them to have what they need for their produce.”
Other grant recipients were:
- Beyond the Walls, Elyria
- Greater St. Matthews AME Church, Lorain
- St. Mary Catholic Church, Lorain
- Community Resource Service, Avon Lake
- St. Jude Helping Hands Food Pantry, Elyria
- The Church of St. Agnes, Elyria
- Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lorain
- Elyria Hospitality Center, Elyria
- Lorain County Office on Aging, Elyria