According to the Palm Beach County Food Bank website, more than 157,000 people are projected to be food insecure in Palm Beach County. They also estimate that:

●      1 in 5 children in Palm Beach County will go to bed hungry tonight.

●      1 in 6 people in Palm Beach County are struggling to put food on the table. 

These are startling statistics for a county with so much wealth. For the first time, many of these families are only very recently food insecure: struggling with rising housing costs, gas, food, and just about everything else. They are middle-class families earning decent wages, not just those at or below the poverty level.

“In our communities, individuals or families that do not want to share with their neighbors the fact that they are struggling economically often hide hunger. Sometimes hunger hides behind doors of nice houses with mortgages in default, or the heat turned off, or all the income going to housing costs, leaving little or no money for food. Sometimes it hides behind the stoic faces of parents or grandparents who skip meals to protect their children or grandchildren from hunger. It goes unseen by those not looking for it.”

(from the United Way of Palm Beach County website)

We started Pennies from Heaven ten years ago in September of 2012, asking individuals and families to collect 5 cents for each meal eaten each month and donate it to Pennies from Heaven. Fortunately, many of you have contributed more over the years. All the money collected each month goes directly to funding food programs in our community and to members of our congregation who are experiencing hard times.

Thank you for following Christ’s command: Love your neighbor.