Hunger Hits Home
By Rachel White, Development and Communications Manager, South Hill Interfaith Movement
Hunger in America is widely documented. According to Feeding America, one in five children faces hunger. In total, more than 44 million Americans grapple with food insecurity.
Locally, 60,000 Pittsburghers struggle to access healthy foods. According to the City of Pittsburgh, one in five residents is food insecure.
In the South Hills suburbs of Pittsburgh, nearly 27.5% of kids face food insecurity and are eligible for free or reduced-cost lunches. That adds up to around 5,500 kids! Food insecurity looks different in the suburbs, where stigma can be high among more affluent neighborhoods. To qualify for free or reduced cost meals, a family of 4 must make $55,500 or less annually. Program to Aid Citizen Enterprise’s (PACE) Regional Indicators map shows several South Hills neighborhoods rated “in decline”, or “fragile”, including Bethel Park, Brentwood, Dormont, South Park, and Whitehall where we know that many families live paycheck to paycheck and are struggling to make ends meet.
The South Hills has the highest concentration of refugees in the Greater Pittsburgh region—more than 40%, and the Asian population in Baldwin Whitehall School District (BWSD) grew 479% from 2010-2020. Refugees from over 10 different countries have found a new home in the South Hills. Our newest neighbors face additional challenges as refugee and immigrant families experience financial vulnerability due to a variety of factors, including employment and transferable skill challenges in the labor market, resettlement travel cost debts, language competency, safe and affordable housing, and trauma-induced mental health challenges.
At South Hills Interfaith Movement (SHIM), we address hunger through our three food pantries that operate six times monthly. SHIM’s service area includes the Baldwin Whitehall, Bethel Park, Keystone Oaks, Mt Lebanon, Upper St Clair, and South Park school districts. Our mission is to mobilize community resources and implement sustainable programs that compassionately help neighbors meet basic needs, achieve self-sufficiency, and build community. Through holistic programming, including food pantries, a community clothing closet, financial aid, youth programs, family support, and immigrant and refugee aid, we help 8,500 people in Pittsburgh’s southern suburban neighborhoods.
As a trusted nonprofit institution, we strive to empower people of all races, faiths, and life experiences. Our core values are equity and inclusion, addressing needs holistically, prioritizing people, building community, and partnering for power. As South Hills has diversified, SHIM has strongly advocated diverse voices and promoted equity and inclusion among residents. SHIM also focuses on raising awareness of suburban poverty by involving congregations, schools, and community groups to aid their neighbors.
We’ve seen firsthand the increase in families needing food assistance. From 2019-2022, pantry attendance at SHIM doubled. In 2023, it grew an additional 21%, reflecting the significant challenges families continued to face. During this critical time, SHIM’s food pantries have been a lifeline for the community. An average of 3,500 individuals from 1,000 households, half refugees and immigrants, sought monthly assistance from our pantries, receiving essential food items such as fresh produce, meat, dairy products, and personal care items. Families with young children also received baby food and diapers, addressing their specific needs. For home-bound clients, SHIM offered food deliveries and accommodated those with transportation barriers by providing alternative food pickup times. SHIM purchased approximately 80 percent of the 836,064 pounds of the food it distributed from the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank (GPCFB). In comparison, the remaining 20 percent was donated by community members, groups, congregations, and businesses.
Thanks to the generous support from the ACMS Foundation, we were able to purchase, grow, transport, and rescue food for our pantry operations. Last year, 7,869 people benefited from our pantries. This represents 2,295 households, 960 of which were new. More than half of households served had someone employed. Thirty-five percent of pantry participants were children, 16% were seniors, and 6% were disabled. People came from 69 different zip codes to access our food pantry distributions.
We rely on the generosity of the community to power our programs. More than 300 volunteers donated 15,453 hours last year stocking shelves, picking up food from GPCFB, helping at distributions, and growing produce in our gardens. Local businesses, community groups, and individuals hosted donation drives that provided 187,285 pounds of food and personal care items.
We’re incredibly grateful for community members who take action to help their neighbors. If you’re looking to get involved, we encourage you to host a donation drive, volunteer, or make a gift today! You can also learn more about the many ways we help our South Hill neighbors on our website.