THE
MANY
FACES OF
HUNGER
in the South Hills
South Hills Interfaith
Movement (SHIM)
is helping local
individuals meet
basic needs and
move toward
self‑sufficiency.
J
im had worked at a local hospital for nearly 10 years when
his job was eliminated. Months of searching for a position
with a similar income left him living on his savings. As that
quickly depleted, he struggled to keep the bills paid and his
children fed until landing his next job. That’s when he turned to
South Hills Interfaith Movement’s (SHIM) food pantry.
When Elaine’s husband passed away, she was doing a pretty
good job of managing her expenses on a fixed income. But an
unexpected medical bill left her having to choose between her
prescriptions and food. She needed a local place to turn for help.
For Meena and Rajen, 17 years of living in a refugee camp in
Nepal was trying. Now living in the South Hills, they feel blessed,
although learning a new language, finding jobs, and helping
their two children assimilate are daily challenges. He’s working
as a custodian and she in retail while they pursue an education,
reimagine their careers and slowly rebuild their lives.
Every person who walks through the doors of SHIM’s food
pantries has a story. They come from various backgrounds with
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various needs. In fact, 66 percent of the families served by SHIM
have children; a quarter of all food pantry users are under the age
of 12; half are gainfully employed; and 38 percent of families get
by on less than $10,000 per year.
“Suburban poverty is growing at an alarming rate—five
times the rate of urban poverty to be exact,” says Jim Guffey,
SHIM’s Executive Director. “Together, with teams of dedicated
volunteers, donors and partners, we’re working to reduce the
devastating effects of suburban poverty among the working poor,
unemployed, families, single parents, senior citizens, women and
the high concentration of refugee families in our service area.”
SHIM helps local individuals meet basic needs and move
toward self-sufficiency.
Sometimes this means reacting to an emergency situation for
South Hills families in need. Throughout the last three months
of 2016, 81 households went to SHIM for emergency food. And
in December, SHIM saw record numbers of food pantry visits,
serving 526 families and 1,687 individuals.