My friend Bruce Ashburn from PNM came in today to donate a can of coffee, and he asked how many people we were able to feed with his recent cash donation for food.
I've been gone for a while, and I had to do some rough calculations and give him a rough estimate. Still, I wasn't thrilled I couldn't just pull these numbers off the top of my head anymore, so I figured I had better get the trusty abacus out and do some calculating.
As of December 2022, approximately 89 cents of every dollar donated goes towards fighting poverty, with the remainder going into operating costs supporting the delivery of our life-changing programs.
And with fuel and inflation on the rise, it costs us around $2.27 per hot meal in the soup kitchen and around $3.89 for a food box handed out in the food pantries.
If we received $5,000 in cash and used it to purchase food just for the soup kitchen, we could provide 2,202 hot meals, and with current averages of around 74 people fed each day, this amount would last us around a month (not including operating costs)
I'm still working on a projected budget for 2023, but in this post-covid world, payroll will run around $90,000, with utilities will come in at about $25,000.
Things are getting tight, and with this next reduction in SNAP (food stamp) benefits, we will see a few more people towards the end of each month.
Thanks to your help, last year we were able to feed 27,551 meals in the soup kitchen, hand out 7,897 food boxes in the food pantries, shelter 1,359 bed nights in the women and children shelter, provide 1,759 showers and allow 1,442 folks to do their laundry,
Our case worker was able to directly counsel 1,294 people and help them meet other needs like ID, shelter, and medical services.
We are entirely funded through your private donations, public grants, and our thrift store, and we will not accept funding that may restrict our Christian beliefs.
Our primary physical goal is to get people fed. After that, we keep them warm and protect them from the elements. After their physical needs are met, we work on educational, referral, and counseling goals.
And we are continually planting Spiritual seeds through love, example, and lay counseling.
Thank you once again, Silver City, for your tremendous support.
We all have the power to make a difference in the lives of those around us. By lending a hand through volunteerism, donations, and acts of kindness, we can assist our friends and neighbors who may be struggling. Let's show them that we care and ensure that no one has to go without the support they need.