Downtown Churches United Inc

DOWNTOWN CHURCHES UNITED,INC. IS A UNION OF THE FAITH COMMUNITY AND OTHER HUMAN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS RESPONDING TO THE ESSENTIAL NEEDS OF THE GREATER PETERSBURG REGION BY SERVING AS A CENTRALIZED SOURCE OF OUTREACH SERVICES.

DAILY NOON FEEDING PROGRAM - THE DAILY FEEDING PROGRAM OFFERS A FULL HOT MEAL TO THE HOMELESS AND HUNGRY MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY AT THE HOPE CENTER. THIS PROGRAM IS MANNED BY VOLUNTEER TEAMS WHO PROVIDE THE FOOD, PREPARE THE FOOD, SERVE THE FOOD, AND THEN CLEAN UP THE DINING AREA AND KITCHEN. DOWNTOWN CHURCHES UNITED, INC. PROVIDES THE SPACE, PAPER AND PLASTIC PRODUCTS, SERVING UTENSILS, CLEANING SUPPLIES AND A MONITOR WHO KEEPS TRACK OF WHO AND HOW MANY CLIENTS COME TO RECEIVE A MEAL, AS WELL AS THOSE RECEIVING SECONDS, THUS KEEPING A COUNT OF MEALS SERVED. FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022-2023 THAT ENDED ON SEPT. 30, 2023, 21,475 MEALS WERE SERVED. EXPENSES FOR THIS PROGRAM INCLUDE COMPENSATION FOR THE MONITOR, FEEDING SUPPLIES, CLEANING SUPPLIES. THE TOTAL OF ALL EXPENSES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022-2023 WAS $6,195. THERE ARE NO LIMITS TO HOW MANY TIMES A PERSON CAN COME TO EAT AND THERE ARE NO REQUIREMENTS OTHER THAN BEING HUNGRY.

FACILITY IS LEASED TO OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT SERVICE THE PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA AREA.

FOOD PANTRY - THE FOOD PANTRY IS OPEN TO RESIDENTS OF PETERSBURG, VA. TWO DAYS PER WEEK (TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, 10AM - 1PM). FOOD IS OBTAINED THROUGH PURCHASES FROM FEEDMORE, INC. AND DONATIONS FORM THE FOLLOWING: FOOD LION, INC., ALDIS GROCERY, VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY RANDOLPH FARM, FOOD DRIVES HOSTED BY LOCAL CHURCHES AND ORGANIZATIONS, USPS LETTER CARRIERS, RICHARD BLAND COLLEGE, AND PETERSBURG BREAKFAST ROTARY CLUB . THE FOOD PANTRY IS MANNED BY VOLUNTEERS WHO ACCEPT THE FOOD FROM DONORS, PACKAGE THE FOOD FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE CLIENTS, INTERVIEW CLIENTS AND MAINTAIN RECORDS, ASSIST CLIENTS WITH MOVING THEIR FOOD TO THEIR TRANSPORTATION IF NEEDED. ALSO, A TEAM OF VOLUNTEERS PACKAGE FOOD STUFFS AND DELIVER IT TO ELDERLY AND HANDICAPPED AT GILLHAVEN MANOR WHO ARE UNABLE TO COME TO THE HOPE CENTER TO RECEIVE FOOD FROM THE FOOD PANTRY. IN FISCAL YEAR 2022-2023 DOWNTOWN CHURCHES UNITED, INC. PURCHASED 277,780 POUNDS OF FOOD FROM FEEDMORE, INC. FOR A TOTAL EXPENSE OF $18,583 PROVIDING FOOD TO 15,799 INDIVIDUALS. CLIENTS ARE PERMITTED TO RECEIVE FOOD ONCE EVERY OTHER MONTH.

UTILITIES ASSISTANCE PROGRAM - THE UTILITIES ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE TO RESIDENTS OF PETERSBURG, VA. WHO HAVE A TERMINATION NOTICE FOR ELECTRICITY, HEATING GAS, OR WATER/SEWER. CLIENTS MUST MEET RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS, PROVIDE TERMINATION NOTICE AND PAST DUE INVOICE SHOWING DATES OF SERVICE, AND PROVIDE SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER. DOWNTOWN CHURCHES UNITED, INC. HAS A CAP OF $150.00 PER CLIENT. THE CLIENT MUST OBTAIN FUNDS FROM OTHER SOURCES IF THE PAST DUE BALANCE IS MORE THAN $150.00 AND RECEIPTS FOR PAYMENT MUST BE PRESENTED BEFORE FUNDS ARE RELEASED. PAYMENTS ARE MADE DIRECTLY TO THE UTILITY PROVIDER. CLIENTS ARE LIMITED TO ASSISTANCE ONCE PER CALENDAR YEAR. IN FISCAL YEAR ENDED SEPT. 30, 2023, 445 CLIENTS RECEIVED ASSISTANCE THROUGH THIS PROGRAM FOR TOTAL EXPENSES OF $55,012. THIS PROGRAM IS OPEN TWO DAYS PER WEEK, USING THE SAME SCHEDULE AS THE FOOD PANTRY.