Food Pantries Struggle to Meet Increased Need
By: Cierra Putman
Updated: September 10, 2012
Area food pantries say they may have to cut services now that both demand and the cost of food is up but financial support is not following suit.
Florence Jewell waits in line to feed her family. After losing her job She now gets food from the Victor Farmington Food Cupboard.
"It's very important because when you can't really afford to buy anything at least you come here and you got some type of food," Jewell said.
Her family is one of 550 the cupboard helps each month - up 100 families from two years ago.
"I would describe it as overwhelming," Dawn Rockefeller with the Victor Farmington Food Cupboard said.
Foodlink provides some of the food at the cupboard. The food bank says demand is up at pantries in all 10 of the counties it serves.
The demand and cost of food is up, but not financial help.
Peanut butter, macaroni and cheese and cream-of-wheat, are the basic items are on these shelves at the Victor Farmington food cupboard. Still they costs the cupboard $10,000 to $11,000 a month. That's not even enough money to fill all of the shelves.
The food cupboard is now launching a new Neighbors helping Neighbors campaign. Rockefeller hopes groups and individuals will sponsor a family by giving 20 dollars a month.
Without more help she says they will have to cut the number of times families can visit, possibly the service area and maybe stop providing certain foods like milk and eggs.
"Its gut wrenching," Rockefeller said. "It is completely gut wrenching and it hits home when you come and talk to the clients."
For Jewell it would mean fewer necessities for her and other area families.
Victor/Farmington Food Cupboard
http://www.vffoodcupboard.org/
(585)924-2720
Foodlink
(585) 328-3380
