Last year, we distributed 808,909 pounds of food to neighbors in need. That’s a lot of food, and we rely on multiple sources to keep our pantries stocked. Thanks to local nonprofits and caring community members like you, we’re able to feed the 7,900 people relying on our food pantries.
Our Partner: Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
We source about 75% of the food we distribute from the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank (GPCFB). As the region’s major source of food for local pantries, GPCFB offers nutritious food at heavily discounted prices to agencies like SHIM.
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TFAP) allows food banks like GPCFB to receive food that the USDA has purchased from farmers including fruits, vegetables, and other staples. This federally funded program allows GPCFB to offer us seasonal produce, milk, eggs, and other staples for free. 
“Pennsylvania leads all states in providing food assistance for the needy under the State Food Purchase Program (SFPP). The program provides cash grants to counties for the purchase and distribution of food to low income individuals.” –Commonwealth of PA
We also work with GPCFB to provide senior boxes to residents over 60 who are living at or below 130% of the US poverty level. These boxes include shelf-stable items like cereal, beans, pasta, juice, canned fruits and vegetables and peanut butter. They also include two pounds of cheese and canned meat.
Many of the items that aren’t free at the GPCFB are personal care items and cleaning products. We purchase items like shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, feminine products, dish soap, and laundry detergent as these can be very expensive for families on tight budgets, and we value the ability to offer these needed items to our pantry participants.
Other Purchases
While most of our purchasing happens at GPCFB, certain items aren’t available there. As local families grapple with the higher cost of living, we’ve seen an exponential increase in the need for pet food. Even though we receive some donated pet food thanks to a partnership with Animal Friends, it isn’t nearly enough to meet the demand. This year we’ve purchased hundreds of pounds of dog and cat food at retailers.
We also purchase rice, beans and lentils, to keep up with the demand from our refugee and immigrant pantry participants. These staple items aren’t always available from the GPCFB, so we order them in bulk from wholesalers then repackage them for distribution at our facility. Oftentimes, we turn this repackaging into a family volunteer event to include caring community members in this process. If you’re interested in participating, follow us on Facebook to catch our next event announcement. 
Donations
We have amazing supporters who help keep our shelves stocked by donating food and personal care items. Last year, congregations, community groups, businesses, and individuals donated almost 200,000 pounds of food and personal care items! If you’re looking for an easy way to get involved, consider hosting a food drive.
To further increase the quantity and variety of food we distribute, GPCFB facilitates food rescues with local retailers like Giant Eagle, Aldi, Fresh Market, Whole Foods, and Sam’s Club to coordinate food donations to SHIM. These relationships have led to predictable donation sources, and we rely on our dedicated volunteers to pick up food from these local retailers weekly. We also receive donations from 412 Food Rescue, further increasing our inventory while cutting down on local food waste.
We also work with the Western Pennsylvania Diaper Bank to obtain diapers, another much needed item. This year, we’ve participated in a pilot program that has allowed us to increase the number of diapers each family gets from 12 per child per distribution to 25 per child. Babies and young children go through 4-10 diapers per day, which adds up to around 150-300 diapers per month! As anyone with young children can attest, this can really strain a household budget.
Why Does This Matter?
As current events affect policy decisions, we anticipate potential changes to our food sources in the coming years. The GPCFB receives federal funding to provide food to us free of charge. If they lose their ability to offer nutritious food to us for free, we may have to adjust the quantity and variety of foods we source from them.
For now, we’re hoping that supporters like you will help us keep our shelves stocked for neighbors in need! Whether you’re hosting a donation drive or contributing financially, you have the power to feed local families. Join us at www.shimcares.org/hunger.
