Friends of the Poor and Catherine McAuley Center Expanding Emergency Assistance Programs

Friends of the Poor and Catherine McAuley Center (FOTP/CMC) announced a major expansion of its emergency assistance programs, made possible by a $320,000 state Local Share Account (LSA) grant and generous support from CANPACK and a group of benefactors who wish to remain anonymous.

The LSA Statewide grant, awarded through the Commonwealth Financing Authority and submitted in partnership with Lackawanna County, will fund the purchase of a new 20-foot mobile food pantry vehicle. The award was announced Monday by State Senator Marty Flynn as part of more than $7.6 million in LSA funding for projects across Lackawanna and Luzerne counties.

The new vehicle will allow FOTP/CMC to bring fresh, nutritious food directly into neighborhoods where transportation is a barrier to accessing the agency’s food pantries, expanding the reach of a mobile pantry program that already serves thousands of households across the region each year.

“Food insecurity does not wait for people to find a ride,” said Meghan Loftus, DPA, President and CEO of Friends of the Poor and CatherineMcAuley Center. “This grant allows us to meet our neighbors where they are, with dignity, in the neighborhoods where the need is greatest. We are deeply grateful to our state legislators, our partners at Lackawanna County, and the Commonwealth Financing Authority for investing in this work.”

The LSA program is funded through gaming revenues and supports projects that improve the quality of life in communities across Pennsylvania. FOTP/CMC also thanks the members of Lackawanna
County’s delegation in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives who advocated for projects throughout the region, including Representatives Kyle J. Mullins (112th Legislative District), Kyle T. Donahue (113th Legislative District), Bridget M. Kosierowski (114th Legislative District), and James Haddock (118th Legislative District).

In addition to the mobile pantry expansion, FOTP/CMC announced it is currently renovating their new location that will ultimately centralize food, furniture, and clothing programs under one roof for the first time. The consolidated site made possible through a generous sponsorship from CANPACK and a gift from a group of anonymous donors, will allow families to access groceries, household furnishings, and clothing in a single visit rather than traveling to multiple sites across the region. Additional details about the location and opening timeline will be announced in the coming
months.

“When a family is in crisis, the last thing they should have to do is navigate a maze of addresses and hours,” Loftus added. “Bringing our emergency assistance programs together in one place removes those unnecessary barriers and treats people the way they deserve to be treated.”

“These two projects in particular have been dreams of mine since my earliest days with this agency in 2017,” Loftus said. “A mobile pantry built specifically for those in underserved and rural areas and a single, welcoming home for our food, furniture, and clothing programs are the kind of investments that change what is possible for the families we serve. I am incredibly thrilled to see them coming to fruition, and I know they will serve this community for many years to come. This expansion is the result of work by our staff, our volunteers, our board, and our partners, and it is a
testament to what this community can accomplish together.”