Dumpsters, security add to costs at CCS' dining hall

Friday, Mar. 11, 2016

SALT LAKE CITY — Catholic Community Services of Utah is seeking help to pay the garbage bill.

CCS bears a monthly cost for the dumpster service at the St. Vincent de Paul Dining room. Currently, the $611 monthly bill comes out of the general operating budget.

“This includes a daily single large garbage bin service for the kitchen and a once-per-week service for two recycling bins,” said Dennis Kelsch, CCS’ director of Homeless Services.

This is a cost that would be impossible to cut back on, Kelsch said.  

“The kitchen garbage must be removed each day because it is full each day.  We also use the dumpster for yard refuse that is collected each day from the Weigand Homeless Resource Center yard and the waste containers from inside the three buildings,” he said.

CCS relies on the generosity of the community to be able to provide services and programs that empower the poor, the hungry, the homeless, refugees, immigrants, people who immobilized by addictions, to be able to reach self-sufficiency.

“Getting donations to help defray this monthly cost would enable that amount to be put toward our programs for homeless persons,” said Kelsch.

In addition to the cost for the dumpster, CCS is facing an added expense for security guards on the property. 

“Because of the increased numbers for homeless services and a small number of people who prey on elderly and mentally ill homeless persons, we have added security guards to be present on the property,” said Kelsch, adding that they also want to ensure the safety of the volunteers there. “Needless to say this is a sizeable expense.”

The St. Vincent de Paul Dinning Hall is one of the many programs that CCS offers to the community.

The dining hall is open seven days a week serving lunch and dinner; they also offer emergency assistance.

On average CCS serves 1,000 meals per day, which adds up to more than 7,000 meals per week, or 28,000 per month.

With a $50 donation CCS can feed a homeless family of four for a week.

“Without having a meal here I would be able to feed my kids or myself,” said Nora,  a single homeless mother of two children, ages 5 and 3, who has been a CCS client for almost three months.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in Utah 1 in 10 people and 1 in 8 children lives in poverty. About 350,000 people living in Utah risk missing at least one meal per day. 

Utah is the 4th in the nation for highest rate of very low food security.

CCS is always open for donations. Donations are collected at local parishes or at any CCS location.

Another opportunity to help CCS will be on Thursday, March 31, through the online fundraiser Love UT Give UT. 

For information on donating to CCS or volunteer, call 801-977-9119 or visit www.ccsutah.org.