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Partners and Supporters,
A blessed summer to you! I wanted to keep you in the loop of all that has been happening at Feast of Justice and to seek your continued partnership.
Our Feast of Justice families constantly tell us about their appreciation of the variety of foods, the availability of healthy, fresh foods, and the dignified process by which we serve. We are honored and blessed to do this work daily. Since the beginning of 2025, in many ways, the work of Feast of Justice has been continuing in stellar form–but it also has been quite challenging.
We have seen the demand for our services skyrocket. During the first half of this year, we have registered just over 1,000 entirely new households to our programs. Within the last two years, we have served over 5,400 different households, or 14,000 individuals in our community.
At the same time, we see that our supply is diminishing. Let me paint a picture: each week, we distribute about 22,000 lbs of food. This food comes through our food banks passing on donated product and government product, through local grocers who share food that is “rescued” by us, and through people like you. While YOU have continued to support our programs, we are starting to see declines in the product from our local grocers (who, themselves, are seeing higher prices connected with inflation) and we are starting to see significant drops in food available to us from our food banks–again, as a result of current or upcoming federal policy changes. At this point, we are seeing a 10% drop in our product, but policies that are just now taking effect will likely lead to a drop of more than 20% of the product we can receive.
Meanwhile, we are closely monitoring upcoming budgetary changes. A very likely change is a reduction in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). 50% of our guests receive SNAP as a way to support their food budget and put funds back into the local economy. The presence of SNAP keeps our families from needing our support as frequently–50% of our families only come to Feast of Justice four or fewer times a year. Additionally, other federal programs may also see reductions, like Medicaid. We know that a loss in medical benefits would also drive families to need our programming even more. These changes are scary for the families we serve–and they also bring anxiety to us as we try to navigate these challenging times.
While all this is happening, we keep moving forward. Our team of staff and volunteers have been steadfast in connecting with and providing for the many, many guests of our community who are in need of support. We are doing work to deepen the engagement of volunteers, to reach out to partners in the wider community, and to offer additional means of support–like mental health counseling, blood pressure screenings, benefits screenings and referrals, and referrals to additional resources.
Our work doesn’t stop–it grows and adapts to meet the changes of any given time. COVID’s pivots did teach us a thing or two….
Now, for why I am writing.
- First, we want to thank you. We could do none of this without you.
- Second, we want to keep you abreast about the specifics of how current events are affecting us.
- Third, we want to invite you to get involved. This can happen in a variety of ways–including volunteering, engaging in helping to tell the Feast of Justice story, donating, and, of course, praying for us. Involvement is how we, as a community, address hunger, meet needs, and inspire hope!
If you want to donate:
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feastofjustice.org/donate or send through the mail.
- Create a food drive in your neighborhood, business, place of worship, or club. The most needed items are juices, cereals, spices, paper products, and personal care items.
- Connect us to local farmers–or contact us about bringing us fresh produce from your own garden!
If you want to tell the Feast of Justice story and support the families that we serve, we can provide information or training on ways that your voice can be heard.
If you want to volunteer, please check out our website: feastofjustice.org/volunteer. We are looking for many skill sets, many levels of commitment, and even some group activities. The needs will greatly increase as we get into September especially.
This is a critical time in our community. Your neighbors need your support and need a resource like Feast of Justice more than ever. Help us to do this work so we can inch closer to our vision of a world where food security and a supportive community abound for all.
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