Street Kids Do Their Part to Help
Michiana Families in Need
Players from organization hand out food in South Bend for United Way
Michiana Families in Need
Players from organization hand out food in South Bend for United Way
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South Bend, IN 7/28/09
The Street Kids/Suburban softball organization and
their charitable division, Street Kids Care, spent the
afternoon on Tuesday in South Bend handing out
boxes of food to families in Michiana that were in
need of feeding their families.
As part of United Way's "People Gotta Eat"
campaign, several members of SKS braved the
down pouring rain to make sure hundred of families
in Michiana had food on their tables tonight. And
despite the rain, dozens of volunteers, including
SKS, never stopped.
"We knew that rain doesn't stop hunger, so it can't
stop us," said Courtney Jorgensen of Street Kids
Care. "There were hundreds of needy families here
today and we just wanted to do out part."
Players like Dan Garey, who have been a part of
the SKS team for several years, agreed.
"Today is a perfect example of what our program is
all about off the field," said the veteran infielder.
"We know that by being out here today that we
made a difference and that feels good knowing that."
The Street Kids/Suburban South/PAS softball team
from South Bend will travel to Indianapolis this
weekend for the state championship tournament,
but that was the furthest thing on their minds today.
"Today was about helping others," said TJ
Jorgensen of SKS. "I am so proud that these guys
came out here today to help make our program
mean something. When you put others needs ahead
of your own, thats amazing and these guys have
done that all year."
What is People Gotta Eat?
In the fall of 2008, over thirty local food pantries
and non-profit organizations came together through
the leadership of the United Way of St. Joseph
County to discuss rising food needs in the
community. These organizations began the People
Gotta Eat initiative as a collaborative effort to
address these needs. The initiative specifically
focuses upon increasing the supply of food in local
pantries during the months of January-March when
food levels typically bottom out after the holidays.
Rising Needs, Less Supply
It is a reported fact from local social service
agencies that the demand for services and
assistance for St. Joseph County residents is at an
all-time high. This is due to a confluence of high
gasoline prices, financial institution credit tightening,
higher food prices, and increasing unemployment in
the area. While many residents can bunk in with
family and friends if they lose their housing,
everyone has to eat. Local food pantries are
reporting a shortage of funds to purchase food (and
therefore a shortage of food) combined with a
rapidly increasing demand by more families needing
food. The increased need is now coming from
recently unemployed families and seniors.
About Street Kids Care
The charitable division of one of the most popular
softball teams in the nation has taken part in
community efforts since 2006. Tuesday's event was
the third time this year that the SK Care program
has been involved with helping to feed the needy, as
they took part in volunteering at the Faith Mission in
Elkhart back in the winter and hosted a golf outing
where they raised over 350 lbs of canned food for
the Northern Indiana Food Bank.
The Street Kids/Suburban softball organization and
their charitable division, Street Kids Care, spent the
afternoon on Tuesday in South Bend handing out
boxes of food to families in Michiana that were in
need of feeding their families.
As part of United Way's "People Gotta Eat"
campaign, several members of SKS braved the
down pouring rain to make sure hundred of families
in Michiana had food on their tables tonight. And
despite the rain, dozens of volunteers, including
SKS, never stopped.
"We knew that rain doesn't stop hunger, so it can't
stop us," said Courtney Jorgensen of Street Kids
Care. "There were hundreds of needy families here
today and we just wanted to do out part."
Players like Dan Garey, who have been a part of
the SKS team for several years, agreed.
"Today is a perfect example of what our program is
all about off the field," said the veteran infielder.
"We know that by being out here today that we
made a difference and that feels good knowing that."
The Street Kids/Suburban South/PAS softball team
from South Bend will travel to Indianapolis this
weekend for the state championship tournament,
but that was the furthest thing on their minds today.
"Today was about helping others," said TJ
Jorgensen of SKS. "I am so proud that these guys
came out here today to help make our program
mean something. When you put others needs ahead
of your own, thats amazing and these guys have
done that all year."
What is People Gotta Eat?
In the fall of 2008, over thirty local food pantries
and non-profit organizations came together through
the leadership of the United Way of St. Joseph
County to discuss rising food needs in the
community. These organizations began the People
Gotta Eat initiative as a collaborative effort to
address these needs. The initiative specifically
focuses upon increasing the supply of food in local
pantries during the months of January-March when
food levels typically bottom out after the holidays.
Rising Needs, Less Supply
It is a reported fact from local social service
agencies that the demand for services and
assistance for St. Joseph County residents is at an
all-time high. This is due to a confluence of high
gasoline prices, financial institution credit tightening,
higher food prices, and increasing unemployment in
the area. While many residents can bunk in with
family and friends if they lose their housing,
everyone has to eat. Local food pantries are
reporting a shortage of funds to purchase food (and
therefore a shortage of food) combined with a
rapidly increasing demand by more families needing
food. The increased need is now coming from
recently unemployed families and seniors.
About Street Kids Care
The charitable division of one of the most popular
softball teams in the nation has taken part in
community efforts since 2006. Tuesday's event was
the third time this year that the SK Care program
has been involved with helping to feed the needy, as
they took part in volunteering at the Faith Mission in
Elkhart back in the winter and hosted a golf outing
where they raised over 350 lbs of canned food for
the Northern Indiana Food Bank.
