The downhill slide of the economy caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has caused unemployment rates to soar. More than 1.9 million Texans have filed for unemployment. During the week of May 16, 134,381 people applied for unemployment benefits. This number represents more than a 1000% increase over any week in 2019. More Texans applied for benefits in March and April of 2020 than applied for the entire year of 2019.
Because of this, Good Samaritans of Garland served a record number of Garland, Rowlett and Sachse residents. In April, the organization provided food assistance for 3,078 families, a 256% increase from April 2019. The numbers for May are on track to surpass those totals. The average number of families helped each month is 700. But in April, Good Sam provided food assistance for 2,299 families. In April 2019, 629 families were served.
Here are a few ways to help while practicing social distancing:
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- Organize a food drive at your church or in your life group.
- Work with neighbors or social organizations to collect donations.
- Call friends and offer to drop by to pick up donations and deliver them to Good Sam.
- Ask your employer to organize a food drive.
- Tell your family, friends and neighbors about the need.
- Share the need on social media.
- Celebrate your birthday with a Facebook fundraising campaign.
- Choose Good Sam as your charity on Amazon for a percentage of purchases to go to them.
- Drop by Good Sam with a donation of cash or food – any amount helps.
The organization is most in need of the items listed below:
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- peanut butter
- dry pasta
- canned meat
- canned green beans
- canned corn
- hearty soup
The increased need will continue even as businesses slowly reopen and call employees back to work. Many businesses will not be able to reopen.
Please help if you can!
Good Sam is located at 214 North 12th Street in Garland. Please take donations to the Good Sam driveway and ring the back doorbell.
For more information, visit www.goodsamofgarland.org or call 972-276-2263.
About Good Samaritans of Garland: “Good Sam,” was formed in 1983 from an alliance of several Garland faith communities with the intent to provide centrally-located services for neighbors in need of assistance. In 2016, the board of directors elected to narrow Good Sam’s assistance in providing food with kindness and compassion to our hungry and food-insecure neighbors living in Garland, Rowlett and Sachse.
Hunger and food insecurity are closely related, but distinct, concepts. Hunger refers to a physical sensation of discomfort, while food-insecurity refers to a lack of available financial resources for food at the level of the household.
Many of Good Sam’s housed families are caregivers for elderly parents, raising grandchildren, disabled or facing a family emergency or other unexpected life challenges. In many circumstances, assistance is temporary and extremely valuable in helping families move forward through a difficult time. Often, food assistance reduces anxiety and helps families from falling further into overwhelming need and hopelessness.
How Good Sam offers assistance is of the highest priority. Good Sam’s staff and volunteers welcome all guests with kindness and respect, assuring them we are available to help them navigate through a difficult time with food and/or resource assistance. People are our #1 priority!