Catholic Charities Awarded Cares Grant From City of Reno

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

 CATHOLIC CHARITIES AWARDED CARES GRANT FROM CITY OF RENO

~ Organization to become the most integrated food provider throughout Northern Nevada ~

Reno, Nev. – Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada has been awarded a CARES Act grant from the City of Reno to expand the food services programs offered by St. Vincent’s Dining Room and Food Pantry.  With the grant, Catholic Charities will become the most integrated food provider to the underserved populations in Northern Nevada.

Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada will purchase two multi-temperature trucks to support families closer to where they live, reducing the burden of transportation costs while providing food security. 

“In response to COVID-19, Catholic Charities programs have grown to serving more than 50,000 people per month,” said Marie Baxter, CEO of Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada.  “Thanks to the City of Reno, through CARES Act Funding, this grant will allow us to expand our services by directly delivering to the sheltered and unsheltered populations of our community providing food security through to-go nutritious meals and pantry boxes with essential items.”

The grant allows Catholic Charities to address food insecurity in a three-pronged approach while adhering to COVID-19 health and safety precautions. 

·       The purchase of two temperature-controlled trucks allows the organization to mobilize fresh, hot and nutritious to-go meals from the St. Vincent’s Dining Room to Our Place (lunches), RISE (lunches) and the 4th Street tent complex (breakfast, lunch and dinner) including holidays. 

·       It expands the weekly home delivered pantry boxes to City of Reno seniors through the benefit enrollment program.  Seniors tend to be immune compromised and more susceptible to becoming infected with the COVID-19 virus.  Pantry boxes include 45 to 65 pounds of food including dairy, protein, grains, fresh fruit and vegetables, shelf-stable food items, toiletries, pet food, PPE and more.

·       Finally, the grant allows Catholic Charities to expand their pantry box pick-up locations to an additional 100 families. Pantry box pick-ups allows families easier access to the food they need closer to home.  Locations include partner pantries throughout Reno.  Each of these areas are seeing an uptick in homeless and working poor populations.

·        In addition, a case manager will be available to address other needs faced by individuals struggling to find stability.

For nearly 80 years, Catholic Charities has been serving the most disadvantaged members of northern Nevada.  Through this grant, the organization can continue to deliver approximately 1,000 to-go meals daily and  pantry boxes for 2,875 people each week and increase these services as demand continue to rise

“Individuals who have never had to rely on our services are finding themselves asking for help,” added Baxter.  “Food is often the first form of outreach allowing us to address needs beyond hunger through our case management services.”

For more information on Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada, visit ccsnn.org

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Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada, Established in 1941, Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada (CCNN) is a Nevada-based, 501(c) (3) tax-exempt, non-profit corporation operating human service programs including:  St. Vincent’s Dining Room, St. Vincent’s Food Pantry, St. Vincent’s Resource Hub, Crossroads Sober Living, Immigration Assistance and others.  CCNN is committed to providing help and creating hope in our community. From infants to seniors, CCNN assists approximately 50,000 people per month in northern Nevada.