Press releases

House of Hope boosting flow of food

PRESS RELEASE DATE: AUG. 3, 2011

In a county where thousands of people are struggling with the pain and stress of hunger, House of Hope is striving to build its capacity to give away more food.

Several pieces are in place, but much work remains to be done and thousands of dollars must be raised.

The need is clear: In Martin County, 14.6 percent of the population -- more than 20,400 people -- live at or below the official poverty line. People in poverty are often “food insecure,” meaning they do not know where their next meal is coming from. That includes about 6,000 children in Martin County.

House of Hope has been taking steps to help close this “meal gap” by increasing the amount and the quality of the food it provides and the way that it is handled. These steps have included:

• The installation of a commercial-grade refrigerator/freezer in the Stuart location, thanks to grants from the Loblollypop Foundation and Goody Two Shoes Inc. This enables House of Hope to receive fresh and frozen foods and store them safely for distribution to clients. Loblollypop has also funded a backup generator for the fridge/freezer.

• The purchase of new refrigerator/freezers at the branch locations in Hobe Sound, Indiantown and Jensen Beach, enabling them to receive and distribute fresh and frozen foods to clients countywide. Loblollypop Foundation also funded the purchase of the fridge/freezer and food for the Hobe Sound location.

• The purchase of palette jacks and floor scales to move and weigh food, thanks to a grant from the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties. The equipment helps to move and keep track of food donated and delivered to House of Hope.

• Forging a partnership with Treasure Coast Food Bank and leveraging that organization’s relationship with Feeding America and the USDA surplus food program. House of Hope is steadily increasing the amount of food it orders through the food bank – generally 3,000 to 4,000 pounds a week. Much of it is free, but some targeted ordering includes purchasing shelf-stable milk, peanut butter and other staples that are running short. It is an increasingly significant supplement to the tons of food donated each month through community groups, churches, businesses, individuals and other food drives.

• Another private grant has provided partial funding to help re-configure the Stuart food warehouse to accommodate more food and a new way to distribute it to people in need. About $10,000 more is needed to complete this improvement.

The necessity of House of Hope’s services has been underscored during the economic crisis of the past three years, and the agency has grown and evolved to meet the challenges.

In 2010, House of Hope’s Food Pantry program served 3,893 families with 152 tons of food – the equivalent of about 237,500 meals. The agency’s plan for expansion is referred to as “One Million Meals for Martin” -- a lofty goal for acquiring and giving out food.

Plans for the future involve a greater ability to distribute fresh and frozen food, reaching out to underserved neighborhoods through a mobile pantry alliance with Treasure Coast Food Bank, and continuing to reorganize the agency’s food pantries to offer the “Client Choice” means of distribution. All of these plans depend on House of Hope raising funds and seeking sponsorships for food, transportation and operations.

Although providing food is a big part of House of Hope’s mission, it is just the beginning. Requests for food often reveal that clients have significant financial, medical and family issues. To address these needs, House of Hope also provides financial assistance and longer-term case management services to help people emerge from crisis.

The agency currently meets about 25 percent of the demand for emergency financial help. House of Hope estimates that to respond adequately would require about $500,000 annually, with additional personnel costs connected to case management. This is a vital part of the House of Hope mission as it includes guiding people toward self-sufficiency. Case managers provide follow-up, help people access benefits, and assist them with such things as interview skills, resume writing and household budgeting.

Information about House of Hope is available online at www.hohmartin.org or by calling (772) 286-4673.