Newsmakers: CEAP Food Shelf Sees 117 Percent Increase in First-Time Visitors
Brooklyn Center nonprofit CEAP is seeing an increase of 117 percent of first-time visitors to their food market.
“We’re doing our best to meet this increased need,” said Kelly Leddy, CEAP’s manager of community programs. “With inflation at a 40 year high, grocery prices are one of the fastest rising categories.”
The nonprofit has additional ways to donate and additional ways to give this holiday season.
“The need is definitely high, but CEAP over the last 50 years has really become an expert in responding to and meeting this increased need,” said Leddy. “We’re just going to continue to try to do that.”
The CEAP food shelf distributes about 1.3 million pounds of food each year.
Leddy says CEAP will continue to partners with food banks and partner groceries to keep staple items on the shelf. They have also adjusted guidelines for November and December so that households are able to make and additional appointment and can receive holiday items.
“We know our community is abundant with food and friendship,” said Leddy. ” We want to make sure our neighbors know they can rely on their community safety net.”
There are several ways to donate, but Leddy reminds people that dollars always go much, much farther than in-kind donations.
“We can buy bulk food items at a reduced price so $1 given to CEAP can actually go further than a dollar spent at a grocery store,” said Leddy.
Learn more about CEAP here.
See also: Brooklyn Center Nonprofit CEAP Celebrates 50
