Area food pantries seek donations to meet needs

Area food pantries are running low on supplies as winter weather sets in and more people are finding their resources dwindling.
"We're seeing a lot of unemployment," said Janet Wise, outreach coordinator of the  Vandalia CEFS office. "That includes people who have lost their job and seasonal employees who can't work because of the weather."
She said that CEFS served 422 households (representing 1,018 individuals) in November – the highest monthly total of the year.
To keep the food pantry shelves stocked, donations of non-perishable food items are the most helpful, because those items can be used right away, Wise said. Cash donations also help, but require someone on the CEFS staff to go to the grocery store to buy the products.
She said that the CEFS food pantry does receive a limited amount of government commodities, but it doesn't go very far.
"We encourage people to sign up for food stamps, too," Wise said. "That gives them a source of food that goes beyond what we're able to do. Our program is just a supplement."
Through the food pantry, families get one box of food items per month.
To help restock the food pantry supplies, Vandalia GMAC Real Estate is collecting items at its office at 310 W. Gallatin St. in downtown Vandalia.
Nancy Gebke of Vandalia GMAC said that donations of food items will be accepted from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Among the items sought are: tuna, hamburger, ground turkey, hot dogs, soups, pancake syrup, cereal, jelly, crackers, canned vegetables, Hamburger Helper and Tuna Helper.
Wise said that the following items also are needed: cereal, peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti sauce, noodles, biscuit mix, beans, rice, packaged potatoes, toilet paper, diapers and paper towels.
"We're very grateful to everyone who contributes," Wise said. "The needs are greater than ever, and things go out just as soon as they come in."
She can be reached at the CEFS office at 283-2631.