Bob Wright wrote in to ask if we have any figures on how many people need help in the Reno-Sparks area during the holidays ?
It's not easy to get an exact figure on this. I did check with Evelyn Mount who conducts massive food drives for those in need every holiday season.
Evelyn says they had two thousand families sign up for meals this Thanksgiving but they only had enough to give out a thousand meals. So she says they need a lot more help to meet the demand out there.
I also checked with the Salvation Army, they give out gifts to 9,000 families over Christmas and they will serve up 375 free Christmas dinners.
These numbers do not include other organizations like the Reno-Gospel Mission, but there are thousands who are in need in our area and the organizations that help them rely on the public's generosity to help them meet the growing demand. Evelyn Mount, the Salvation Army and the Gospel Mission all need donations now more than ever.
