As the morning sun begins to break the Omaha sky, Creighton students drag themselves out of bed and begin their morning routines. Get a cup of coffee, grab a bowl of cereal and head out the door for another day of classes. But what most students fail to realize is what is going on right down the street from campus.

Less than a block away from Morrison Stadium, some morning routines are quite different – some people wake up with the problem of how to feed their families plaguing their every thought.

Standing outside of 1616 Cass St., some people arrive hours before the doors open at 9 a.m. to wait for food and other services offered Monday through Friday at Together, Inc., a nonprofit organization. Wrapping around the side of the building into the dirt, pot-holed parking lot, the lines can contain as many as 75 people, all waiting outside for the same need– the basic necessities of life.

The people who come through the door range from the homeless to the near-homeless, to those who have lost a job and to those who just can’t make ends meet. In recent months, Together, Inc. has seen an increase in the number of people who come for help. Those who work there don’t expect the number to decrease any time soon.

Since July, Erin Stoll, director of development at Together, Inc., has seen an increase of 200 people per month walk in the front door.

“The economy is affecting us because people are driven to needing assistance and the number has not gone down. I think it will increase in the months ahead.”

With the economy in the shape it’s in right now, she said, the organization sees men, women and children from all walks of life and income levels.

“When you are right on the edge of losing your job or your home, this economy pushes these people right over the edge,” Stoll said.

Together, Inc. is feeling the economic pinch in more ways than one. A pantry is bare and workers are stretched thin due to the increase of work. Individual donors feel the tightening of their belts.

But even with those struggles, Stoll said, “Thank goodness we are here.”

“It is difficult to listen to the news, and it’s easy to get sucked into the negativity of it all, but there are things people can do and Together, Inc. is like the shining light at the end of the tunnel because there are places people can go in our community,” Stoll said.

Even with the economic strain, Michelle Moyes-Dill, executive director of Together, Inc., said she has noticed an increase in giving.

“More people are coming through our doors looking for assistance, but we’ve also seen more people in the community understanding that this might happen and they also have supported us,” Moyes-Dill said.

“When we do a food drive, people get it, more than they might have last year.”

Stoll said she doesn’t foresee Together, Inc – in existence for over 33 years – permanently closing in the near future, even with the current state of the economy. With the need of assistance increasing, this is even more reason why Together, Inc. needs to remain open.

“We would ideally like to shut our doors because everyone is fed, everyone has clothing on their back, everyone has a home,” Stoll said.

“Unfortunately the reality of the world is that it is probably a need that will never go away but whatever we can do to help those people is why we are here.”

The need for what Together, Inc. offers will always be present. Even with a 3,000-pound food donation a few weeks ago, Stoll said it never lasts very long.

“People every day, every minute, every hour are losing their jobs, losing the ability to feed their family for whatever reason. And yes, it’s a global problem but it’s also right here in our community,” Stroll said.

“There are starving people right outside your front door, down the street from where you live, down the street from your school. You see people coming here from your own community. So while you can’t do it all, do what you can,” she said.

If you would like to volunteer at Together, Inc or to see what you can do to help, you can email Erin Stoll at [email protected].