Human Services

An estimated 9.5% of households are "food insecure," and approximately 750,000 persons use food stamps. With efficient delivery systems in place supported by a high number of volunteers, the greatest challenge in preventing hunger is acquiring food from new sources. The Kingdom supports three levels of work to meet this challenge. First, organize and collaborative planning of food pantries/kitchens, in a particular geographic locale, around similar needs to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of emergency and nutritious food distribution. Second, development of pilot projects to promote increased local capacity to produce fresh produce to serve food deserts and other underserved neighborhoods, with a goal of ultimately changing to the food system to promote local food security. Third, the distribution of emergency and nutritious food and promotion of enhanced participation in free and reduced rate feeding programs.  

Advocacy to Preserve the Social Safety Net
Post Pandemic, municipalities face challenges with budget shortfalls impacting social services. The Kingdom seeks to fund organizations that advocate for the needs of low­ income persons in the following fields: poverty alleviation, children, homelessness, hunger, people with disabilities, and immigrants. 

Organizations will be selected that are the most effective in each area of interest, achieving advocacy goals that are important to a high number of people, and working toward goals likely to be achieved within the next five years.

Criminal Justice Reform and Violence Reduction
While crime rates have fallen substantially over the past 20 years, they still remain unacceptably high. Over the same period, prison populations have grown, resulting in high costs to the state for prison operations and making the integration of former prisoners into communities a significant problem. There are many areas of criminal justice where innovations and services would make recidivism less likely and reduce the number in prisons and reduce the cost to the government. Grants will be awarded to nonprofits delivering interventions to young people to reduce crime rates. The Kingdom also seeks organizations working on more effective policy alternatives to conventional prosecution of non­violent offenders. These will result in more ex ­offenders working, more offenders receiving social services and fewer incarcerated.