Donation shortfall means Rock Hill neighbors need help. Here’s what you can do

In a house filled with produce, meats and canned goods, 30 families a day receive food to keep their family fed.

Project HOPE in Rock Hill needs the community’s help to keep assisting families with meals, utility costs and prescription medications.

For more than 40 years, the nonprofit crisis assistance ministry has been helping families in need. During the summer months, the need is even greater as families face higher utility bills and Project HOPE’s food shelves empty in a matter of days, said Gordon Bell, director of operations.

“The donations have been down some this year. That’s why we are in a shortfall right now,” said George Kelly, the group’s chief financial officer.

Project HOPE needs nonperishable canned goods, including fruits and vegetables, Bell said.

The ministry serves a maximum of 30 families a day and has met that demand each day this week. He said they often serve up to 120 people a day.

“We’re low,” Bell said. “We give out four and half tons of food every week. Right now, we are in desperate need of cereal, pasta, spaghetti sauce, canned fruits of any kind, anything that will fit for a kid’s lunch.”

Project HOPE is expecting to exceed 2017’s number of 4,774 families served by 30 percent this year, Bell said.

HOPE also needs financial donations. About 90 percent of money donated to HOPE go directly to families in need, Kelly said.

For the first time in about 20 years, Project HOPE has had to cut back this season helping families pay utility bills, Bell said. He said what the nonprofit needs most is money to purchase groceries and assist families with utilities and medications.

Last year, HOPE provided more than $80,000 in utility assistance to help more than 1,400 families.

“There’s a lot of people out there - senior citizens, young mothers, people who are working with minimum wage - that are struggling,” Bell said. “We help them during these high air conditioning months and the cold winter months with their utility bills.”

Project HOPE relies completely on donations and volunteers. The ministry partners with Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina to distribute food to Rock Hill families in need. HOPE also uses donated money to purchase groceries from local stores and the food bank, Bell said.

Want to help?

To make a financial contribution to Project HOPE, donate online at projecthope-rockhill.org or mail a check to P.O. Box 774 Rock Hill, SC 29730.

Canned goods and other food items may be dropped off at the house at 411 Park Avenue in Rock Hill. Hours are 8:30-10:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday and 6:30-8 p.m. Tuesday. For more information, call 803-328-8000, ext. 4, or email projecthope@comporium.net.

By the Numbers

In 2017, Project HOPE:

• Served 4,774 families (10,938 individuals)
• Distributed $601,590 worth of food
• Served an average of 70 lbs of food per person
• Helped 1,407 families with utility assistance, a cost of $88,973

This story was originally published August 15, 2018 at 3:34 PM.