Since January 2024, we have enrolled 14,329 individuals in our People’s Pantry food distribution program. That number exceeds the population of Scottsbluff.
Our population is also growing every day. In September alone, we enrolled 326 new families and provided 124,075 pounds of food.
But here’s the thing: this is not the kind of growth we celebrate. With each passing day, our “city” grows, not because of prosperity, but because of rising need.
The cost of operating our food distribution has risen by 33% from 2022 to 2023. As a result, we anticipate expenses exceeding $550,000 in 2024, with 79% of the funding still unmet. That means we’re stretched thin — dangerously thin — and we are at risk of not being able to keep up.
As the largest food distributor in Lincoln, we serve an average of over 1,200 people every day. If we had to close our doors, all of these members of our community would suddenly be left wondering where their next meal would come from.
Mohammed is a Father. He had to leave his home and move his family to the United States for their safety and security. Today, his four children are students in Lincoln public schools.
Mohammed is a Farmer. He moved to Nebraska, and he now has his own land where he grows watermelons, pumpkins, cucumbers, and other vegetables.
Mohammed is a People Person. He came to Center for People in 2023 and he enrolled in our People’s Pantry and English Language Learning programs. Now, he pays it forward by regularly donating food from his farm to help other families.
When it comes to providing basic needs, our goal at Center for People is to grow by getting smaller, by reducing the number of people who require services like ours to get by.
Think back to a time when you needed help. Do you remember how it felt to know someone was there for you, even when you didn’t know how you’d manage on your own?
That’s the feeling we strive to give every single day at Center for People — stability, dignity, and hope to those who need it most.
Now is the time to help. Will you be the one they can count on?
