Food and Nutrition
Catholic Charities agencies offer healthy food to those at risk of hunger via food banks/pantries, afterschool and summer programs, child and adult daycare centers, group dining settings, home delivery and more.
Help your neighbors who are hungry.
The Challenge
An estimated 17 million households (12.8%) in the U.S. experienced food insecurity in the past year, with limited or uncertain access to nutrition. That’s about 44 million people — including 7.3 million children — facing hunger today.
To those already on the margins, high grocery and transportation costs create even more need for free food services just to get by.
National data source: USDA Economic Research Service
The Response
Whether it’s a weekend backpack program for children who rely on school lunch for weekday meals or a partnership with a food delivery service for homebound seniors, food assistance is the single largest service provided by Catholic Charities, often in cooperation with federal nutrition programs.
See the client-choice pantry where neighbors are served with the dignity
they deserve and the healthy options they crave.
Need assistance? Find a local Catholic Charities agency.
featured story
Community gardens feed communities
Large or small, urban or rural, Catholic Charities gardens and farms link individuals to neighbors and neighbors to service providers.
The Impact
Food programs are often an entry point for vulnerable clients to be assessed for and receive other services.
968
Food pantries supported
12.5M
Kids’ meals provided at childcare, after school and via summer lunch
58,900
Families assisted
with SNAP benefits
Advocacy
Every two years, after a new Congress is seated, CCUSA’s Social Policy Team crafts legislative priorities and recommendations based on the ongoing efforts of the Catholic Charities network of agencies and the needs of the vulnerable populations Catholic Charities serves.
Testimonial
Actually, it helps out so much, considering I don’t have … income right now, and I’m waiting to get on my disability. So this is definitely a lifesaver. It really helps.
Catholic Charities client-choice pantry client
PROGRAM LEAD
Jane Stenson
Jane is the vice president for food and nutrition/poverty reduction strategies. She manages multiple national grants that support local agency food work and staffs the Food and Nutrition Community of Practice and Asset Development Section. Jane is the liaison for a work group on prison ministry/reentry services and serves on the advisory committee for the Catholic Prison Ministry Coalition.
Program Stories
