Sometimes, an ending becomes one more chance to give.
Last year was supposed to mark the close of Delaware Online/The News Journal's Needy Family Fund — a program built over a century that raised millions of dollars and helped generations of Delawareans through partners likeThe Salvation Army,the Food Bank of Delaware, and theDivision of Social Services. The decision to end the fund was not due to a lack of interest but reflected how more direct giving had made the Needy Family Fund largely obsolete.
But thanks to an unexpected act of generosity, the story didn't end there.
A more than $390,000 gift from the Mark H. Goldman Trust gave the fund one final chance to make an impact, with the money distributed among three organizations to directly help people in need.
"For more than a century, The News Journal’s Needy Family Fund has stood as a testament to the generosity and compassion of our community," said Regan Apo, general manager at The News Journal. "While it is bittersweet to bring this chapter to a close, we take great pride in knowing that this final distribution — made possible by an extraordinarily generous donor — will continue that legacy by supporting organizations that are deeply embedded in and committed to serving Delaware's most vulnerable residents."
These three organizations were selected because of their past relationship with The News Journal's Needy Family Fund and their impact statewide. They were given leeway to use the money in whatever way they saw best, with a requirement that the money help people directly.
"At a time when the need is as great as ever, we are confident these funds will create meaningful, lasting impact for individuals and families across our state," Apo added.
Financial stability is slipping for more Delawareans, the three agencies told Delaware Online/The News Journal. Separately, the three said they’re seeing even working, typically stable residents struggle to afford basic needs as costs climb and safety nets fall short.
To support services for Delawareans, The Salvation Army and the Division of Social Services each received $153,000 on May 21, while the Food Bank received $86,000. With that addition to last year’s Needy Family Fund allocation, all three organizations received equal funding.
More:We are partnering with the Food Bank to fight hunger as we sunset Needy Family Fund
The Salvation Army expects to spread the donations over five years, allowing them to help people in need cover such things as rent, mortgage or utility bills.
"It just goes so far," April Smith, The Salvation Army’s social services director, told Delaware Online/The News Journal on May 21.
Here's how each agency says it plans to use the money and why.
The Salvation Army
Smith said the group plans to use the funding to strengthen its direct-service programs so people facing tough times can get help when they need it. This would include housing and utility assistance, along with other support to meet immediate needs.
"We believe this is the best use of the donation because the needs we are seeing continue to grow," Smith said. "More people are turning to us for help with essentials such as food, housing support, utility assistance and other basic necessities. This funding allows us to respond quickly and strategically to those needs rather than limiting the support to one program."
Smith said the faith-based human services organization is seeing more working families struggling to keep up with rising housing and utility costs, as well as more older adults living on fixed incomes who are forced to choose between paying for medication, food and other essentials.
"Flexible funding like this allows us to provide assistance where it can have the greatest immediate impact," she said. "The demand for services has increased significantly, and gifts like this help us continue meeting that demand while maintaining stability for the people who rely on our programs."
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Smith added that they are honored by the Mark H. Goldman Trust's confidence in the organization's work and are committed to using the funds to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those they serve at their Delaware locations in Wilmington, Dover, and Seaford.
Food Bank of Delaware
The Food Bank of Delaware, which distributes food statewide through a network of partners, will be using the money to support itsmobile pantry program.
"We know that many in our community are feeling the impact of the high cost of living — especially high fuel and food prices," said Kim Turner, the food bank's communications director. "The mobile pantry brings food directly into underserved communities so our neighbors in need don't have to travel far to get assistance."
The high cost of living is making many ordinary working Delawareans struggle to keep up, Turner said, recounting how one man told them he had a personal emergency and needed to replace his vehicle. This was an unexpected expense that wiped out his savings.
Turner said community donations help fund the mobile pantry, which costs about $2,500 per distribution, including food and operating expenses.
"We've seen a steady increase in demand since January," she said.
Demand for the Food Bank's mobile pantry has surged, with the number of households served more than doubling in the first three months of the year:
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January had 662 households.
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February had 826 households.
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March had 1,349 households.
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April had 1,394 households.
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As of May 18, there have been 913 households served by the program.
Delaware Division of Social Services
Every day, the state's Division of Social Services sees people with urgent needs visit one of its 14 service centers. These are people who need help right now, but do not quite meet a program's eligibility requirements or are waiting for benefits to kick in.
Faith Mwaura, Division of Social Services' deputy director, said the fund will let them say yes when other programs cannot.
"A family facing eviction, someone whose lights are about to be shut off, a person who just lost their job and needs help keeping a roof over their family's head," Mwaura said. "These are not unusual situations. They are what we see every single day.
"This fund lets us meet people where they are and help them stabilize before things get worse."
Such donations allow the state division the flexibility that programs with strict eligibility rules simply cannot.
"Not everyone who walks through our doors qualifies for every program, but they still need help," she said. "Charitable funds fill that gap. And yes, the need is growing.
"We are seeing more families stretched thin by rising rents, high utility costs and the end of supports that helped people through the pandemic."
Mwaura explained that $100 can help:
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Provide a week's worth of groceries for a family facing hardship.
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Cover a $60, 30-consecutive-day bus pass that allows a parent to get to and from work reliably.
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Essential household items, or other basic necessities during a difficult time.
"When someone is in crisis even a small amount at the right moment can make the difference between stability and losing everything," Mwaura said.
Send tips or story ideas to Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299 oreparra@delawareonline.com.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal:Needy Family Fund receives final gift to help Delaware families