EDWARDSBURG – The Edwardsburg Emergency Fund (EEF), sponsored by Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, Hope United Methodist and the Presbyterian Church of Edwardsburg, assists needy families in the Edwardsburg and Union areas with groceries, utility bills, prescriptions and gas vouchers.

The EEF also operates the Food Pantry, which is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday at  Our Lady of the Lake on U.S.-12, offering groceries to area families as needed.

In addition, eligible families may receive up to $200 in assistance per year toward utility bills, prescriptions and gas vouchers for their vehicles.

Monetary contributions and donations of foods are made to EEF and the food pantry through the participating churches.

Just since Jan. 1, 2009, the EEF and Food Pantry have served 285 families with groceries from the pantry and/or financial assistance.

The beginning balance on July 1, 2008 in the EEF and Food Pantry annual report, showed a beginning balance of $2,823.26, with income and donations of $38,709.92.
After expenses of $14,588.61 for utilities, $11,819/59 for gas vouchers, $4,984.65 for groceries, $383.28 for prescriptions and $530.40 of miscellaneous, there was $32,306.53 of expenses, leaving an ending balance on June 30, 2009 of $9,226.65.

These financial figures do not take into account the large amount of perishable food which was also donated.

“So many individuals and families, businesses and organizations have been very generous this past fiscal year during these difficult economic times,” said the Rev. Joe McCormick, OSA, pastor of Our Lady of the Lake.

“It is a wonderful tribute to the spirit of our community, while at the same time the services rendered signal a distressing alert to the number of hurting people in that same community,” McCormick added.