Written by Andrea Gillhoolley, development manager, Lebanon County Christian Ministries. Contact her at [email protected] or call (717) 272 4400 ext. 211 to find out how you can become a supporter of LCCM to help change lives in Lebanon County. ​

Food insecurity is often difficult to detect in communities. The United States is considered an affluent country, yet every community in the country is home to people who struggle with it.

A household that is food insecure has limited or uncertain access to enough food to support a healthy life, according to Feeding America.

Whether a person qualifies for federal nutritional programs or not, local food banks, such as Lebanon County Christian Ministries, often fill in the gaps.

Here are 5 myths about food insecurity in Lebanon County.
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Myth No. 1: Hunger is something that happens somewhere else – not Lebanon County.

FACT: The food insecurity rate in Lebanon County is 9.1 percent – that’s 12,480 food-insecure individuals, according to Feeding America. Of those individuals, 4,720 are children.  According to the United Way ALICE report, 37 percent of households in Lebanon County struggle to make ends meet due to high housing costs, costs associated with food, child care, utilities, transportation and unexpected expenses. That means a substantially higher number of people have or may have to utilize a food bank’s services.

Myth No. 2

People who face food insecurity in Lebanon County are typically unemployed, homeless, or both.

FACT: The vast majority of people served by Lebanon County Christian Ministries are not homeless and  half have at least one adult per household who works full-time. In Pennsylvania, 59 percent of jobs pay less than $20 per hour, with more than half of those paying less than $15 per hour, according to the United Way ALICE report. A household with two adults, an infant and a preschooler needs to make $30.14 an hour just to afford bare essentials each month.

Myth No. 3:

People who need supplemental food assistance are not budgeting their money wisely.

FACT: The United Way ALICE report found that a family of 4 – including two adults, a preschooler and an infant – would need to spend a minimum of $604 per month on groceries for just bare essentials. The food budget is based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Thrifty Food Plan, which is also the basis for benefits provided by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).


Myth No. 4

The LCCM food pantry only provides pre-packaged canned goods.

Guests who utilize the food pantry at LCCM receive a supply of food that will last for about two weeks. While much of the food is pre-packaged, the pantry also provides fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, frozen meat and baked goods. Additionally, the pantry provides personal care items such as toilet paper, soap, deodorant, toothpaste and more.


Myth No. 5:

There’s nothing I can do to help people who are struggling with food insecurity.

Your generous donations to Lebanon County Christian Ministries helped us distribute more than 400,000 pounds of food and provide 47,180 free noon meals.  LCCM receives some state funding and also works with major manufacturers and retailers to secure food to distribute to residents of Lebanon County. This means that when you donate a dollar, you’re able to put more meals on the tables for families than if you had paid full retail price for items you'd purchased at the store.

​As a nurse, Natalie is used to taking care of people. Over the Christmas season, however, she will be the one needing help as she recovers from back surgery.

“I fell on hard times,” Natalie said on a recent December morning. “It’s been a horrible year.”
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The 41-year-old Lebanon County woman said this year’s hardship began in April after she dug a hole to plant a rosebud tree that she bought for her mother. The digging exasperated her ongoing back issues, which led to her losing her job as a nurse contractor. 

​She first came to Lebanon County Christian Ministries in the summer while on unemployment to obtain supplemental food for herself, her 18-year-old daughter and 14-year-old son. In the fall, she started a new nursing position at a privately-owned practice.

Due to appointments preparing for her upcoming surgery, she had to take a lot of time off of work. Because of the surgery and length of recovery time, she said the practice could not hold her position. After just two months in her new role, she finds herself unemployed again.

Related
Meet Shane, one of 130 guests on average who eat at LCCM's daily free noon meal

Meanwhile, Natalie returned to LCCM for a second time in November, this time for food and heating assistance.

“By the grace of God, (LCCM) was able to help me with 100 gallons of fuel oil and food,” she said.
Natalie says she is unable to receive short term disability, and has just a couple weeks left to collect unemployment. She fears she and her family may be facing homelessness in the New Year.

“I try not to let my kids see me cry,” she said. “But what do you do? You just have to keep going.”
Natalie’s hope for herself and her family is peace and security.
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“I just hope that things get easier,” she said. “ I guess I just have to take care of myself first.”

Partner with LCCM by joining our Love Your Neighbor campaign.  Monthly contributions provide LCCM stable funding year round to help thousands of people like Natalie each year. 

On a cold December day, men, women and a few toddlers filtered into the dining room at Lebanon County Christian Ministries, pausing momentarily as a volunteer from Cornwall United Methodist Church said a prayer.

Among those in the crowd that day was Shane, a regular in the winter months, who grabbed a tray and was served lasagna, salad and a piece of apple pie by volunteers.

He sat down at a table as he greeted acquaintances and friends he’s made over the last five years and began eating. 

As a seasonal worker, Shane collects unemployment over the winter months and is grateful for LCCM’s free noon meal, which helps him save money.

“It helps me a great deal because food is so expensive. I live alone, so for me, it works out. Last night I made hot dogs and mashed potatoes – something cheap. (The noon meal helps) because instead of buying two meals a day, I only have to buy one,” he said. “I mean, even buying cleaning supplies in stores like paper towers, Dawn and soap, and all that – it all adds up.”

Shane was just one of 119 people who ate at the free noon meal that day, a staple of LCCM’s operations and overall mission. Hundreds of volunteers from churches and community groups prepare and serve meals each year daily, whether at LCCM’s dining room or at other partnering churches.

In the last fiscal year, 47,180 meals were served, which equals roughly 130 meals daily. Some days, LCCM serves as many as 170 guests. It’s just one of several programs LCCM facilitates to address food insecurity in Lebanon County. Food insecurity describes a household’s inability to provide enough food for every person to live an active, healthy life.

The food insecurity rate in Lebanon County is 9.1 percent – that’s an estimated 12,480 people, according to Feeding America.
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By making a $50 donation to LCCM, you can provide 25 nutritious meals for people like Shane this Christmas season.
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