PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS
1933 Spielbusch Avenue
Toledo, Ohio 43604

Andrea Slivka, Public Relations Coordinator, Catholic Charities 419.244.6711 x 139
Sally Oberski, Director of Communications 419.244.6711 x 148
Kelly O’Loughlin, Communications Coordinator 419.244.6711 x 149

LOCAL DONORS MAKE UP FOR FEDERAL FUNDING CUTS TO SOUP KITCHEN

December 27, 2011 – Toledo, Ohio – Local businesses and donors stepped up to ensure Helping Hands of St. Louis soup kitchen (http://www.helpinghandstoledo.org/) could meet  increasing needs in East Toledo after the soup kitchen experienced a 50 percent cut in funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) this year.

     Upon hearing the news of funding cuts and increased clientele numbers many organizations such as The Andersons and Faurecia, along with numerous individuals, made cash donations up to $3,000. 

      “All of our program numbers are up significantly this year,” said Paul Cook, Helping Hands director. “We couldn’t have done this without the help of our local supporters who stepped up to fill in the gap.” The clientele of Helping Hands are younger and the number of first-time clients has significantly risen this year, he adds.

     Helping Hands provides a hot lunch Monday through Friday and breakfast three days a week.  The outreach center also hosts a food pantry, a clothing store and gives out hygiene products.  As the New Year begins the soup kitchen is thinking ahead about how to provide through the winter season. Immediate needs include donated meats, fruits vegetables, canned foods and cash. 

     Helping Hands would also like to thank the generous community members who made it possible for Christmas food baskets to be given to families in need.  The soup kitchen was inundated with generosity after asking for donations of 100 boneless hams for the baskets.  Within a week the soup kitchen received 500 hams! The extra hams will be frozen and used at the soup kitchen in the future to help serve 300 lunches daily. The soup kitchen also sought and received a donated used van in good condition to pick up large quantities of food donations from local stores, restaurants and farms.  The soup kitchen picks up donations from 15 sites in Toledo each week. 

   
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