Tabitha’s Way is a non-profit, 501C3 volunteer-based organization whose mission is to provide free food and other essential life-sustaining supplies to anyone in need within our local communities. Tabitha’s Way currently provides food to approximately 5,000 people per month in Spanish Fork and South Utah County.
New Location! Tabitha’s Way recently opened a new location at the end of May in American Fork, Utah, serving North Utah County. The address is 920 E. State Street, Suite C, American Fork, Utah. Many will recognize this building at the ‘old Reams building’, and the current location for Covenant Communications and Seagull Book.
Facts About Hunger in Utah County: According to the Utah Food Bank, and Federal Government Statistics, approximately 14% of people in Utah County live below the Federal poverty line. One in 5 children are ‘food insecure’, meaning they often do not know where their next meal is coming from, or do not have access to nutritious food. Currently, over 78,000 people live below the poverty line in Utah County, and it is estimated over 100,000 people are food insecure at any given time.
Who are Tabitha’s Way Clients? The most common clients of Tabitha’s Way are people who have had significant changes in their lives that have led to financial hardships. For example, losing a job, death of a spouse or child, significant car repairs, large medical bills, disability, underemployment, seniors and veterans living on a fixed income, and single parents with children. The United Way refers to these people by the acronym of ALICE – Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed – representing the growing number of individuals and families who are working, but are unable to afford the basic necessities of housing, food, child care, health care, and transportation.
How Can You Help? There are 3 ways you can help with hunger in Utah County. They are:
- Provide Food: Bring a bag of canned or boxed non-perishable food to the Utah Tour de Donut. The Utah Tour de Donut will deliver the food to Tabitha’s Way, to support local families in North Utah County. Or sponsor a food drive through your business, church, youth group, club, school, or through a group of family and friends.
- Volunteer: The heart of Tabitha’s Way is our volunteers. We need people who can serve in a variety of ways: helping register clients, shopping assistant for elderly or disabled, sorting, stocking, unloading a truck, food rescue, community relations, and smiling. We especially need volunteers who can come for a 3 hour shift, one or more days per week. We also need volunteers who can come whenever they are able.
- Financial Support: Tabitha’s Way has many costs to operate. These include salaries, rent, utilities, transportation, insurance, equipment, etc. Tabitha’s Way primarily operates from individual and business financial donations, not Federal or State funding. Tabitha’s Way provides life sustaining food for 5,000 people per month, at an operating cost of $3 per person per month. A donation of $12 will pay for the food and operating costs to feed a family of 4 for a month! Tabitha’s Way has a 2015 Charity Rating of 97.5, which means that 97.5% of all funds go directly to food and life sustaining supplies.
For more information on sponsoring a food drive, to volunteer your time, to donate money, or to make Tabitha’s Way a charity of choice, contact Mike@TabithasWay.Org