Sequestration Driving More Clients to Lorton Community Action Center

The Lorton Community Action Center is seeing the impact of sequestration cuts first-hand. The local food bank and nonprofit dedicated to underprivileged locals is seeing more and more families walk through its doors because of federal layoffs and furloughs.

"I just spoke with four families - all contractors who lost their jobs because of Sequestration," said LCAC executive director Linda Patterson. "Some are now working 30 hours a week instead of 40. Some are looking for work and they can still pay rent and utilities, but paying for food might just be too much." 

The massive, indiscriminate spending cuts Congress put in motion in March to force a budget compromise meant reduced hours and furloughs on federal workers.  

Patterson said that donations from local churches and grocery stores kept the doors of the pantry open during the beginning days of summer - a tough time of year for food banks. 

"Our pantry is low right now," she said. "We've had some great response in food drives from Cranford United Methodist, Christ United Methjodist Church, New Hope Church and the Giant Food store on Rt. 123 (Ox Rd.). Without that stuff we would be sunk. Our families would not have enough food."

The LCAC provides more than 3,000 clients a year with food, clothing, school supplies, holiday gifts, legal assistance and ESL classes. 

"We did a comparison of the first quarter of this year and found that we were serving 30 percent more clients than the first quarter of 2012," said Patterson. 

Register With LCAC

Having trouble making ends meet? July 1, 2013, marks the re-registration date for families receiving LCAC services. 

"It's the beginning of our fiscal year and we ask everyone to re-register. We ask who they are and how many people are in their family, how much money they make and where they live." 

Click here for more. 

The Lorton Community Action Center food bank needs:

• Rice
• Pasta (and sauce)
• Canned meat
• Breakfast cereal