Lawrence remains the poorest city in Massachusetts, with 1 out of 4 living below the poverty line. 80% of those we serve are minorities - many are recent immigrants ineligible for SNAP. 70% are either homeless or at-risk of homelessness. The choice between food, shelter, heat and medications is faced on a daily basis.
Since the start of the pandemic, food insecurity has doubled in Massachusetts, and 1 in 5 households are at-risk of hunger. Lawrence continues to suffer long reaching impacts. Families and individuals experiencing unemployment and eviction are finding help harder to find as agencies and shelters struggle to meet the need.
The impacts of this health crisis have continued throughout 2021,and the call for help grows more urgent as unemployment benefits come to an end and the eviction moratorium is revoked.
In response, Bread & Roses pivoted our service model to community food outreach to meet the rising wave of need triggered by the Covid 19 crisis. Community food outreach meets people where they are - effectively bridging service gaps for the most marginalized of Lawrence, while simultaneously supporting valuable programs.
Since the pandemic, we've delivered 600,000+ pounds of food to agencies, shelters and churches across Lawrence in our two outreach vans. We made more than 300,000 meals possible and more than 10,000 households received bulk food, hot meals and pantry orders, clothing, toiletries, infant supplies and pet food, gift cards to grocery stores and access to laundry services.
We expect food insecurity in Lawrence to rise even more in the coming year. Our goal in 2022 is to essentially double the scope of our services, potentially reaching 20,000 households experiencing hardship.
Your contribution may help keep our two outreach vans mobile, purchase supplemental food for pantry orders or keep the team that makes it all happen.
Thank you for being a friend to our struggling neighbors.