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 .
Jim 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 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 came to SHIM for emergency food . And in December , SHIM saw record numbers of food pantry visits , serving 526 families and 1,687 individuals .
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