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Donations needed year-round, not just during the holidays |
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Wednesday, 12 December 2007 |
Jennifer Larson
Times Staff Writer
This holiday season, two local food banks are asking for the community to remember them all year-round, not just during the cold winter months, as the need for donations is always there.
“We don’t want to be forgotten during the summertime,” said Jennifer Carr, coordinator of Community Helping Hand food shelf.
She said that people are very generous when it nears Thanksgiving and Christmas but said that spirit wanes into the New Year.
Kathy Wills echoed those sediments. She manages all of the Family Pathways food pantries.
Wills said the need for help has increased but donations have not as the number of pounds of food they’ve collected so far this year lags behind 2006 totals.
“Hunger doesn’t drop off,” she said. “We really need them to keep giving.”
In November, Family Pathways served 160 families - up from 132 for the same month last year. The number of those individuals who have been served is also up considerably. Wills said it is amazing that the Family Pathways has served more people through the end of November this year than they did in all of 2006.
“We’re ahead of all year right now through November,” she said.
Carr said the need for food is great even more so during the warm months, especially those when children are out of school. She said families have to plan for another meal in the summer they are not accustom to making.
Items the food shelf can use anytime of year are those that don’t require a lot of ingredients such as Hamburger Helper and Rice-A-Roni, Carr said. However, people should check the expiration date on items before they donate them.
Also, she noted that their shelves are stocked with peanut butter but jelly is a scarcer item. Carr said that she only gives out both items to families and just peanut butter to individuals without children.
Helping Hand provided 90 meals for Thanksgiving in conjunction with Marketplace Foods. The deadline to sign-up for a holiday dinner is Friday, Dec. 14.
“We’re hoping Christmas will be the same,” Carr said.
Donations to Community Helping Hand can be made during operation hours from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., on Saturday. The food shelf is located at 408 SW 15th St.
She noted that Marketplace Foods does not donate the meals so financial contributions are very much appreciated. Carr said the cost to purchase nearly 100 dinners ranges between $1,500 - $2,000.
“If they don’t know what kind of food to buy us, financial donations are welcome,” she said.
Donations to Family Pathways can be made during operation hours on Mondays from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. - noon. The food pantry is located in Schilling Plaza at 255 Highway 97.
Although Family Pathways is not doing holiday meals, Wills said that Grace Church in Wyoming is hosting a free Christmas dinner on Tuesday, Dec. 25 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
She noted they are even offering rides to those people without transportation.
For more information, about the free holiday meal, contact Pastor Dave at (651) 462-6677.
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