Community Survival Center

CONTACT:

240 Main Street
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
413-543-3930

Christine Cargile, Executive Director

DESCRIPTION:

CSC seeks donations of food, clothing and household items from residents of Ludlow, Wilbraham and Springfield, to give to less fortunate neighbors of all ages. To low-income children it provides a free breakfast and lunch program. To qualifying families, the Center supplies each week five days of nutritious meals that are bagged and distributed. More groceries are provided during school vacations when children spend more time at home.

Staff at the Center are imaginative. One hit with many clients was to bag together cream of celery soup, pasta and tuna fish, with a recipe for a casserole.

Because it does a good job, and treats those whom it serves with respect, there is a positive spirit in this whole enterprise, and it has grown accordingly -- its clients have increased from 6,000 to 40,000. In 1997, the Center had to find larger quarters, two new freezers, clothing racks and a refrigerator, to accommodate its growth.

The work goes on. The rising number of clients has increased the frequency of trips to and from a food bank 40 miles away, so the Center needs your help.

(1998: HUMAN SERVICES: Well-Being)