As gas prices soar, more people turn to nonprofits

Over the past three weeks, Lissa Meadows’ life has tumbled down hill continuously after losing her job.

Meadows, 45, worked as a waitress at two local steak houses until she lost her job over the Memorial Day holiday.

“We had to sell our car to get by to be able to make ends meet,” Meadows said. “I walk to and from the grocery store, and I really have to watch what I buy.”

But Meadows remains grateful and positive her life will change. She doesn’t mind walking, and has realized how driving their 1992 Chrysler Imperial was a privilege. Meadows’ husband, who was on disability, found a temp job to help the couple survive, but he’s now paying $9 a day to get to work.

A conversation with a neighbor led Meadows recently to the Ark, which serves as a ministry near downtown Dothan that helps provide for people in need.

“I’d seen the sign before, but didn’t inquire because I didn’t have the need because I was working,” Meadows said. “I don’t have the money to do laundry, so I came here to get my husband some work pants.”

Bill Jenkins, a volunteer with the Golden Age Ministry at the Ark, said first time visitors to the Ark like Meadows have increased over the past several months.
Jenkins said the Ark has served food to an average of around 50 families a week, which is about a 15 to 20 percent increase over the same period last year.

Robert Grice, who serves as the director of the Ark, said the ministry serves people by giving away clothes, canned goods and other food items that, depending on availability, include meat, eggs and sweets.

“It’s working against each other: You have a harder time getting food to give away and get more people needing food,” Grice said.

Economic woes have led to an increase of people seeking help at many of the non-profit agencies around the Dothan area.

Brad Hardy, the director of the Dothan Rescue Mission, has seen fewer donations come in as people tighten up how they spend their money.

“We’re used to seeing a certain segment of the community coming in here,” Hardy said. “We’re seeing a higher class of society that’s a step above the poverty level. We’re starting to see them come in and sign up for utility help, gas and food.”

Linda O’Connell, director at Alfred Saliba Family Services Center, said her center has also seen an increase in the number of people seeking help over the past several months.

The number of people who visited the center for the first time jumped from 48 in April 2007 and 61 in May 2007 to 76 to 94 over the same period in 2008.
William Block, a social worker at the center, said they help provide limited transportation services, help people see a doctor through the center’s health clinic, issue applications for food stamps and public housing, along with helping people find a job.

“One of the bigger things we provide is information and referrals,” Block said. “The minimum wage is $5.85, and that doesn’t go very far to try and take care of all the financial responsibilities one has these days.”

People have not only struggled to put food on the table but a lack of disposable income has led them to struggles with utility bills and medication purchases, said Vickie Alleman, director of Catholic Social Services.

Alleman encouraged people to come in for help making ends meet.

“People say they are embarrassed to have to come and ask for help. But they shouldn’t feel that way because catastrophes can happen to anyone,” Alleman said. “Unfortunately, with the gas prices, it’s affecting the prices across the board for commodities — you know, clothes and food. They just don’t have the money. It does not go as far as it used to.”

The Wiregrass Area United Way Food Bank has been hit with a decrease in financial and food donations, which in turn has made it more difficult to distribute food to area agencies which pass out the food, said Julie Gonzalez, special projects coordinator for the food bank.

“We have a presidential election going on, and anytime there’s a presidential election, it causes uncertainty at the corporate level,” Gonzalez said. “The corporate donors who normally give freely are holding back a little bit.”

The food bank serves as a food distributor for area non-profit agencies, at a transportation cost of only 7 cents per pound. The food bank can provide 10 meals for every $1 donated, Gonzalez said.

“Those folks in the working class who used to be food bank donors are now food bank recipients,” Gonzalez said. “The gas price increase has caused the price of all the other goods to go up. If everybody were to give a little bit, the problem would become easier.”