BUILDING BETTER LIVES FOR THOSE IN NEED
The Rainbow Community Development Center (RCDC), Inc.’s mission is to build better lives for those in need through Safety Net Services: Emergency Food Pantry, Eviction Prevention, Prevention of Utility Cutoff, and Temporary Emergency Shelter. The food pantry is our largest program. Our goals for the Food Pantry are to reduce hunger; provide food from all the USDA recommended food groups, especially fresh produce; increase student learning; decrease obesity rates and other health related diseases among the families we serve.
COMMUNITY NEED
The hungry live all over the Washington region. Maryland is the wealthiest state in the country, but hunger is a growing reality for many. Hunger runs deep in our state, affecting people in every county: seniors, children and working families. Many children go without meals on a daily basis, not by choice. Adults making low wages, often working more than one job, are unable to provide food and basic necessities for their families. About 40% of clients we serve often have to choose whether to pay for housing, utilities, food, medical care, or transportation.
From a 2020 Feeding America study, in Maryland, 667,110 people are struggling with hunger - and of them 216,070 are children. This equates to 1 of every 9 people and 1 in 6 children facing a constant struggle against hunger. With an average meal cost of $3.20, those would mean the people facing hunger in Maryland are estimated to report needing $361,501,000 more per year to meet their food needs.
In 2018 from Feeding America data, 8% of Montgomery County residents were considered food insecure. That number jumps to 10.3% for Prince George’s County residents. Maryland has one of the nation’s highest food insecurity rates for seniors.
With food prices soaring, obesity, diabetes and other health-related diseases are on the incline. Healthy, nutritious foods (such as fresh produce) are more expensive and less likely to be purchased, a factor in many health-related issues.
Homelessness is on the increase as jobs have become scarce. Many families live in the cold during the winter months and are unable to pay their utility bills.
Help us help those in need with your donations and your give of time.