Pantry of Broward gets $20k grant
The Pantry of Broward has been awarded a $20,000 Bank of America General Operating Support grant to help cover indispensable costs related to the key personnel and program expenses of the agency. This includes a minimum of administrative costs necessary to maintain and grow the agency’s current level of programs and services for seniors in need on low, fixed incomes and grandparents raising their grandchildren throughout Broward County.
The Pantry of Broward is a unique agency serving these two affected social groups of seniors. There are an estimated 30,000 seniors living below the Federal poverty line in Broward County alone and The Pantry’s clients are significantly below even that. The Pantry of Broward requires a maximum income of $800 a month in order to qualify for our services.
One in 11 grandparents is now the principal caregiver for their grandchildren. Without the grandparents stepping in to help, these children would be placed into foster care at public expense. To place things in perspective, there are currently half a million children in foster care in the US, but 2.5 million grandchildren being raised by their grandparents.
The Pantry of Broward currently serves 450 elderly clients at any one time plus 125 grandchildren. All receive a 65-lb. box of nutritious food per month in order to offset their food insecurity. Each client receives a one-on-one interview with the Case Manager to delve into the family situation to both assure they meet the agency’s requirements for program support as well as determining any other services The Pantry of Broward can offer them.
The Pantry of Broward is unique as a one-stop shop for seniors in need. The organization has a formal relationship with the State of Florida’s Department of Children and Families allowing the agency to verify information provided by the client, and offers an online application process for entitlement programs for the agency’s clients (e.g. food stamps, Medicaid, etc). One of The Pantry of Broward’s current Board Members, Robert Butterworth, is the former Secretary of the Department of Children and Families at the State level.
The awarded funds will be applied towards the purchase and distribution of basic food staples, ancillary program services including the provision of items such as eyeglasses and hearing aids, legal support to grandparents regarding legal custody of their grandchildren and associated issues, counseling services for seniors and grandparents regarding cross-generational issues, financial skills and nutrition training classes for the agency’s client target population, program development and staff training and other operating support.
Related posts:
- Pantry of Broward collecting food at SunTrust Sunday Jazz Brunch
- Pantry of Broward Hosts Health & Resource Fair Thursday, September 16
- Seniors living on less than $600/mo get a helping hand
- Bank of America collecting food for needy seniors in community
- Broward Meals on Wheels gets $750k grant for senior health
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Posted by Andrea Freygang on Aug 28 2010. Filed under Broward County, Latest news, Local news, Non-profit organizations. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
