One in nine Arizonans faces food insecurity. The problem
is not just about food, but how lack of access affects other
areas of people’s lives. When people are undernourished, it
prevents them from thriving personally, professionally and
emotionally.
North Star Youth Partnership, a program of Catholic
Charities, empowers all youth to be healthy, self-assured
and involved in their communities through recreational,
leadership and service-learning opportunities. One of the
simplest but most critical ways to support these youth is to
provide them with easy access to nutritious snacks.
To support this mission, North Star began partnering with
the Resident Services team at Catholic Charities’ affordable
housing communities in Phoenix. Resident Services works
with St. Mary’s Food Bank to offer a mobile food pantry to
those living in the community.
With the help of Resident Services and St. Mary’s,
North Star is able to provide snacks and drinks to youth
participating in Peer Assistance and Leadership (PAL). PAL
helps teens learn skills through peer support, leadership,
mentoring, conflict resolution and community service.
PAL participants are encouraged to eat and refuel as they
learn. Any excess food items are made available for the
students to take home.
When Nadia, a student at St. Louis the King Catholic School,
received apples as a snack, she gratefully brought the
extras home to share with her four siblings. “We really like
fruit, but don’t have it often. This will be a real treat for us
all,” she said.
Together, North Star Youth Partnership and the Catholic
Charities Resident Services team are working to ease some
of the stress for families faced with food insecurity. This
season, over 545 food items were donated to more than
65 teens and family groups. However, more help is always
needed and appreciated.