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Struggling families turn to food pantries for help
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Photo by John Locher.
Members of the Gonzales family from left, April, 4, Jocelina, 2, Jesus, 24, and Alexis, 3, wait to receive free groceries in the lobby of Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada's food pantry. Charities that feed the needy say that because of the recession, more families are seeking help with basic needs for the first time. » Buy this photo
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Siblings Jocelina, 2, April, 4, and Alexis Gonzales, 3, get a treat from a guard at Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada's food pantry. Jesus Gonzales and his girlfriend asked for help feeding their family for the first time because he can't find construction work. Photo by John Locher. » Buy this photo
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Updated: Apr. 10, 2012 | 10:16 a.m.
The three young siblings are mesmerized by the Christmas tree.
They stare at it, touch it, dance around it. They don't have one at home.
"We can't afford it this year," their mother said.
The tree -- white with bright red bulbs -- stands in the otherwise stark lobby of Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada's food pantry, where the needy come to ask for food to feed their families.
It's the first time Carla Verdugo, 21, and her boyfriend, Jesus Gonzales, 24, have needed help putting food on the table for their kids. Gonzales, a construction worker, hasn't had much luck finding work lately.
"We've never in our life had to come to this," Verdugo said as she watched April, 4, Alexis, 3, and Jocelina, 2, chase each other around the tree. "It's hard."
Stories such as theirs are common these days: families who for the first time must seek help meeting basic needs.
"They just break down in tears, saying, 'I've never done this before,'" said Phillip Hollon, residential services director for Catholic Charities.
"People are really under the gun, struggling to make their rent, credit card and car payments. The one thing that gets put on the back burner is food. When all is said and done, there's no money left."
To meet the growing demand, the charity this year increased by about 40 percent the amount of free groceries it hands out. It gives out an average of 150 bags of groceries each weekday, Hollon said. The bags include items such as rice, potatoes, tuna, chili, pasta and beans.
An individual or family may visit the pantry, at 1501 Las Vegas Blvd. North, once each month. The pantry, which is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., provides one bag of groceries for every two people in a household.
There are no income requirements to receive the food, but people should bring proof of Nevada residency and birth certificates or other documentation to show how many children live in the household.
Many families are surviving these days thanks to food supplied by nonprofit and faith-based agencies, said Julie Murray, president and CEO of Three Square food bank.
The food bank supplies food to 270 agencies that feed the needy.
"It's so common for us to hear about a family who has never before faced unemployment" and now needs food.
Three Square calculates that nearly 100,000 people in Clark County are facing hunger, based on data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Hunger touches every part of the community, Murray said.
"It is black and white, young and old and every demographic you can imagine," she said.
Other agencies the food bank works with also have reported increases in the amount of food they provide to meet the growing need, she said.
The number of hot meals those agencies served increased from 111,000 meals per month last year to 155,000 meals per month in 2009.
Erin Williams is one of those new to the whole concept of needing help to meet basic needs.
During a morning trip to Catholic Charities' food pantry, the 24-year-old school bus driver explained that she has no trouble supporting herself. But Williams' out-of-work cousin, three children in tow, recently had to move into Williams' one-bedroom apartment after getting evicted.
"It caught me off guard, right at Christmas time," Williams said.
So she stopped by the food pantry to pick up some food for the kids.
"I can feed me," she said after placing the groceries in her car. "I shouldn't have to worry about things like this."
Contact reporter Lynnette Curtis at lcurtis@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0285.
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This is what you get for voting for Obama, Clark County!
We can all thank Henry Paulson and his allegiance to his old employer, Goldman Sachs, for their rape of the American taxpayer that will be inherited by generations to come. Because of this political travesty, our economy is on the brink of collapse. To address their disgrace, Goldman Sachs has made public the cancellation of company bonuses this year. A statement I find rather incredulous.
Dru, shame on you. I blushed at your name-calling and tantrum approach.
You must be new to Lynette Curtis's column. She consistently and journalisticly represents a certain segment of our population in Las Vegas, and they are the very people you defended in your rant. You know..the unemployed, undocumented, unmarried with many dependents living on the kindness of strangers, with hispanic surnames.
Like I said, she's very consistent. So you might want to contact her, because she's contributing (or substantiating) the stereotype on a regular basis.
Dru,
In all fairness, what would be a legitimate reason for them to have three kids together and not be married? That is not a racist question, that is an intact family values question.
Ms. Verdugo is only 21 years old with a 4 year old; this means she was an unwed teenage mother. Anyone surprised she's in the situation she's in?
And where's President Obama, those of you who were foolish enough to vote for him? Has he lowered your mortgage yet? Has he found you a job? Taking from the rich and "redistributing the wealth"...how's that working out for you?
I chose to volunteer every charitable dollar I have, to the active duty military and retired military family programs.
It is an honor, to be able to give support to these families, who are being screwed by our government (multiple deployments, then they don't receive their GI Bill benefits without a delayed fight...or not at all).
At least I know my funds go to men, women AND children, who have made sacrifices for this country.
Obviously, as a construction worker, this guy belongs to a union...why aren't the unions shoring up this guy's family?
After all, he pays unions dues to have the honor of voting their party line in elections.