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Food Pantry needs donations
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| Bare shelves |
BY CHARLYN FINN
Due to communitywide generosity, the Food Pantry through Thursday morning this year has fed a total of 2,059 people.
While the public is generous, Lianne Ryan said the Food Pantry is in need of more donations.
Ryan said those needing support were using more supplies from the Food Pantry partially because during the summer months children were eating at home instead of school.
Then parents had their income consumed more recently by school supplies and school clothes for their children.
High gas prices all summer, higher utility bills and food prices were also responsible for parents running short of funds and coming to the Food Pantry for assistance. Plus, due to the Hurricane Ike evacuation many people spent money on gas and other items used while evacuated and depleted their income.
On Tuesday alone, 23 people came to the Food Pantry seeking help with groceries, utility and prescription bills.
“We have run short,” said Ryan.
She said the Food Pantry needs cereal, eggs, peanut butter in the 16 oz. size, beef stew in the 24 oz. size, canned chicken, canned meat (spam, etc.), Hamburger Helper, Tuna Helper, spaghetti or noodles and spaghetti sauce, canned fruit, toilet tissue, shampoo, toothpaste, laundry soap, chili, canned or dry milk, apple juice or other fruit juice, rice, boxed potatoes and gravy, cooking oil in the small or medium sized plastic jars, cocoa or tea, cornmeal packets and dish detergent.
The Food Pantry also accepts monetary donations which are used to purchase margarine, hamburger meat and bread.
The Food Pantry is sponsored by the Calhoun County Community Ministry. The board is made up 50 percent by ministers and 50 percent by lay people.
“We are not in dire straits but have had more people then we had before so now we need some more community support,” Ryan said.
Ryan said typically people are very generous over the Christmas holidays but the Food Pantry needs support all year long.
She noted that the community churches are very helpful. One church donated 115 jars of peanut butter. Other churches brought money, which was used to buy hamburger, margarine, eggs, cheese, bread and bologna.
The Food Pantry gets some federal funding that may be used for utilities and rent.
Also, United Way and local civic groups contribute towards the support of the Food Pantry.
The Food Pantry has been in operation since 1982. Most of its operation is handled by volunteers. Some senior citizens help with the arranging of foodstuff in bags, Ryan said.
The Food Pantry also has the flyers for the Angel Food Ministries boxes, which are boxes of food available at much reduced costs assessable to all income groups. Orders must be placed at the Alamo Heights Baptist Church located at 1604 W. Austin in Port Lavaca. The deadline to order is noon Tuesday, Nov. 11. Payment is due when orders are placed. The boxes will be distributed at the county fairgrounds on County Road 101 from 1-2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22.
The Food Pantry is open at its Alcoa Drive location from 9 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday.
While the public is generous, Lianne Ryan said the Food Pantry is in need of more donations.
Ryan said those needing support were using more supplies from the Food Pantry partially because during the summer months children were eating at home instead of school.
Then parents had their income consumed more recently by school supplies and school clothes for their children.
High gas prices all summer, higher utility bills and food prices were also responsible for parents running short of funds and coming to the Food Pantry for assistance. Plus, due to the Hurricane Ike evacuation many people spent money on gas and other items used while evacuated and depleted their income.
On Tuesday alone, 23 people came to the Food Pantry seeking help with groceries, utility and prescription bills.
“We have run short,” said Ryan.
She said the Food Pantry needs cereal, eggs, peanut butter in the 16 oz. size, beef stew in the 24 oz. size, canned chicken, canned meat (spam, etc.), Hamburger Helper, Tuna Helper, spaghetti or noodles and spaghetti sauce, canned fruit, toilet tissue, shampoo, toothpaste, laundry soap, chili, canned or dry milk, apple juice or other fruit juice, rice, boxed potatoes and gravy, cooking oil in the small or medium sized plastic jars, cocoa or tea, cornmeal packets and dish detergent.
The Food Pantry also accepts monetary donations which are used to purchase margarine, hamburger meat and bread.
The Food Pantry is sponsored by the Calhoun County Community Ministry. The board is made up 50 percent by ministers and 50 percent by lay people.
“We are not in dire straits but have had more people then we had before so now we need some more community support,” Ryan said.
Ryan said typically people are very generous over the Christmas holidays but the Food Pantry needs support all year long.
She noted that the community churches are very helpful. One church donated 115 jars of peanut butter. Other churches brought money, which was used to buy hamburger, margarine, eggs, cheese, bread and bologna.
The Food Pantry gets some federal funding that may be used for utilities and rent.
Also, United Way and local civic groups contribute towards the support of the Food Pantry.
The Food Pantry has been in operation since 1982. Most of its operation is handled by volunteers. Some senior citizens help with the arranging of foodstuff in bags, Ryan said.
The Food Pantry also has the flyers for the Angel Food Ministries boxes, which are boxes of food available at much reduced costs assessable to all income groups. Orders must be placed at the Alamo Heights Baptist Church located at 1604 W. Austin in Port Lavaca. The deadline to order is noon Tuesday, Nov. 11. Payment is due when orders are placed. The boxes will be distributed at the county fairgrounds on County Road 101 from 1-2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22.
The Food Pantry is open at its Alcoa Drive location from 9 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday.
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