At a crossroads. By Sue Gabriel

Today, our organization, like many others, is at a crossroads. The enormity of the depth of our clients’ needs and the number of people seeking help is far beyond anything the organization has experienced thus far. We have experienced a 107% growth in the number of food pantry visits the last two years, exceeding 20,000 visits in FY24. We have more families who need school supplies and holiday gifts. The number of clients served by at least one program in our organization was up more than 2,000 in two years (from 4,324 to 6,168). Keeping people housed and their home warm (or cool) costs more now.

Why are so many people turning to our organization and others like it? First, the cost of housing comparative to their household income is well more than the 30% housing costs in a budget recommended for self-sufficiency (in 2021, the Essex County Community Foundation reported an average of 39% of income is used toward rent in Beverly). Second, the cost of everything else has also risen. For all of us, it is more expensive to feed our families and run our household. Medicine, transportation and other necessities have also increased in price. Conversely, the rate of wage increases, or Social Security benefits has not increased to the same extent. The MIT Living Wage Calculator indicates that a family with two children living in Essex County needs to earn at least $66 per hour for 40 hours weekly if a single parent or at least $35.30 per hour times 2 times 40 hours weekly for a household with two parents. Minimum wage is $15 per hour. Many of our clients are working multiple jobs to try to sustain.

If the predictions of actions of the next administration are accurate, this situation will only worsen. Reports indicate that Social Security benefits, Medicare, Medicaid and SNAP benefits will be cut.

This type of growth puts us at a crossroads. As a private, nonprofit organization originally meant to serve a few people in our community, we wonder at what we’ve become — a small grocery store, the solution to hungry students on the weekend, a stop gap for those teetering on the edge of homelessness, but also a place of opportunity for better education and more opportunities through our adult education.

Our organization’s revenue is solely based upon the commitment of our donors. Generous people provide funds for our programs, items for the Thrift Shop, food through drives, school supplies, holiday gifts and support us in many other ways. We rely on the community’s generosity to sustain our programs.

As an organization, we ask, “Can we keep up with the demand?”

The answer is this: If the community wants us to do this work at this level and will support us to do so, we’ll keep stretching to meet the need as best we can.

Sue Gabriel is the executive director of Beverly Bootstraps.