As inflation reaches record highs and gas prices soar, charities, food pantries and assistance organizations across Butler County are preparing and bracing themselves for an influx of requests for aid.

At St. Vincent de Paul in Butler, director of services Lisa Slupe said that requests haven’t skyrocketed yet, but she anticipates more to come. The center provides assistance to more than 15,000 clients each year.

“I’m waiting for the downfall,” she said. “As far as our food bank, it’s starting to go up a little bit, but it had dropped, and I think it is because of the extra government funding that they got. I am looking to see that it is going to go up. With the price of gas, people just can’t afford (things).”

St Vincent de Paul operates a food bank, which is open from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 146 N. Monroe St. The center also offers rental assistance, along with utilities assistance in conjunction with the Center for Community Resources.

“For rental assistance, it’s a case-by-case basis,” Slupe explained. “They would set up an appointment to come in, and they would have to bring in their ID, their proof of income and, if they don’t receive income and they get food stamps, they would take a printout from the county Assistance Office as a proof of income.”

For residents interested in donating to the food pantry, Slupe said paper products and cash donations are always a good idea.

“(We need) stuff that is easy for children to make, like macaroni and cheese, spaghetti and spaghetti sauce,” she said.

Those interested can also sign up to volunteer at the food bank or at the St Vincent de Paul thrift store, which generates income for the center to provide assistance.

The Whole Life Ministries program at the Lighthouse Foundation, a Butler County-based Christian outreach organization meeting the needs of impoverished individuals and families in Butler and other counties, provides emergency relief for those in need.

“It is a small financial help program. We give around $300 per client,” said Lee Ann Hune, ministry and volunteer coordinator at the Lighthouse. “It’s a one-time help, and they are required to do a financial literacy program and put in an application.”

Requests for aid through the program have increased recently, Hune said. In January and February, the foundation received 16 and 19 applications, respectively, but Hune has already received 15 applications early into March.

“We’re probably going to double it this month,” she said. “With the increase in gas and food, I’m sure our food pantry will get an influx of people. I hope people know to come and utilize the food pantries — not just ours, but any of them.”

Hune anticipates the heightened need for aid may persist moving forward.

“We work closely with Catholic Charities and the Center for Community Resources, and we have all seen an increase in needs right now,” she said. “The increase will continue as long as inflation is in place and people are still struggling. A lot of these people have had two years of intermittent income.”

“They just need to show up with a photo ID,” Hune said. “If they don’t have that photo ID that first visit, we would certainly not turn anyone away. We would make sure they left with food and information on what to bring the next time.”

Hune credited the foundation’s volunteers with making the food pantry easy to utilize.

“Our food pantry is set up to not feel like a traditional food pantry,” she said. “The food pantry director has set it up so it is like a shop-through experience. Just a shout out to our volunteers — they make you feel very welcomed and very at home to shop through. I would encourage anyone to come and experience it.”

The Lighthouse Foundation’s food pantry is open Monday 1 to 4 p.m., Tuesday 3 to 6 p.m., Wednesday 1 to 4 p.m. and Thursday 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 116 Brown Hill Road in Middlesex Township. More information about hours and donation drop-off times is available on the foundation’s website.

Jean Bowen, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) coordinator and program specialist at the Center for Community Resources, said that aid organizations in Butler County tend to work together.

“Butler County is very good that way,” she said. “We do all network together. I work a lot with the housing authority, the Lighthouse, St. Vincent de Paul and the VA hospital. The county Human Services works a lot in conjunction with us.”

VITA volunteers help prepare taxes for free for those who qualify, and Bowen said the VITA program sometimes helps her introduce those in need to the many other resources that the center offers.

“When they come in to pick up the taxes, we find out, ‘Hey, my children are not getting the nutrition they need,’” she said. “That’s when we jump in and give them all the programs they qualify for. That program brings people in the door without having the stigma of ‘I need help and I don’t want to reach out.’”

The CCR has seen more people lately who are reaching out for help for the first time, Bowen said. She encouraged anyone in need of assistance to call the CCR’s information and referral line at 844-360-4372.

“All these programs, they can call that one number and get all the services that are out there,” she said. “We want to encourage people to do that, because it’s hard to remember all of this.”