A missionary couple who work at the Bishop’s Storehouse in Northern Colorado told me today that need for food assistance in early 2021 is about half of what it has been in recent years.
The missionaries were astonished at this result, as was I. Is it possible that the Saints are doing well compared to the many people suffering during the lockdowns and other mandates going on worldwide? Again, my information is completely anecdotal, but very few people in our ward have lost their jobs during the lockdowns. Meanwhile, many other of my friends (not in the Church) have suffered job losses and many other problems in the last year. And of course, every family in my ward was concerned about their children during the school closures.
(To readers who may not know what our Bishop’s Storehouse does, it primarily serves as a clearinghouse for food assistance for people who need it).
Do any other readers have any stories that confirm or contradict this report? How are people doing in your region of the world?
I’m thinking government Covid payments and welfare assistance has reduced the need for assistance from the storehouse.
That might be the case if your area. It’s not in many places. New Mexico is still very badly off.
I was surprised to see fewer needs being filled the past two times I volunteered at the Bishops storehouse. There have been some people out of work, but many are getting the extra unemployment payments. There is a temporary lower need due to some of the government money.
Also, most people who want to work are now employed. There are many places paying more to attract people.
Same is true for the Philadelphia storehouse. Some days it closes early for lack of orders or things to do. There has been a significant decrease in food orders since March 2020. That isn’t to say the Philadelphia area hasn’t seen a significant increase in food needs, just that it hasn’t filtered through the layers of the Church necessary to gain access to a storehouse: Bishops, EQPs, RSPs.
I don’t know how our bishop’s storehouse is doing, but our local food pantry and school systems have been going full steam in providing for the community for the last year. It’s much, much easier to get food from them than the bishop’s storehouse (which is an hour away) so members might prefer to go there.
It’s the same situation for our storehouse in Plant City, Florida. Just in my branch our food orders are down to 5 or 6 now when as before we had around 20 or more. I know because I’m the RS president. It is also the case in our branch that very few members lost their job at the beginning of the pandemic but found something else later on. I was amazed about how everybody was blessed in that regard. I wish it would have been the same when it came to contracting Covid, we have had quite a few people who caught the virus and were extremely sick, I know of at least one death in our branch.
I live in Germany. We don’t have a Bishop’s storehouse. I might be wrong but I think there is no Bishop’s storehouse anywhere in the Europe area.
If the need arises people will be helped with money from the fast offering funds. For my ward in Germany I can say the need of financial assistance has not increased during the last year.
I live in the same area as you, Geoff, and I would lean toward agreeing with the observation. The explanation I would give though is that other food assistance is immensely easier to come by from many many many other sources including churches the area where we live.
When there are fewer saints they need less assistance.
I think you’ll see this when normal in person events resume.