Food bank needs help

The food bank wants help taking on hunger in
Lawrence County.

By JEANNE STARMACK

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — First, the good news: More people who need help are taking advantage of food assistance available in Lawrence County.

Now, the bad: The increase in clients is taxing the resources of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, which supplies food pantries and aid agencies throughout the county.

Cynthia Moore, director of community outreach for the food bank, presented information to county commissioners this week that shows the food bank distributed more than 1 million pounds of food in the county from July 2006 to June 2007.

From July 2007 to December 2007, almost 559,000 pounds of food has been distributed.

The food bank distributes to 10 food pantries in the county, which select their own supplies. It distributes prepackaged food boxes at 16 locations.

Tara Covelens, the food bank’s senior regional administrator, told the commissioners that 3,000 Lawrence County residents were served in January 2007, but by December 2007, more than 4,000 people were receiving aid in the county. When the food bank began working in the county in 2005, it served 1,200 people, she said.

Along with the increase in clients and an increase in pounds of food distributed, the food bank has seen a decrease in funding, Moore said.

She said that trends are changing, and the food bank now has to purchase a bigger portion of the food it distributes — 25 percent.

Twenty-four percent of the food bank’s food comes from its national affiliate, Second Harvest, and the rest comes from local and other sources, she said.

But it has been a challenge, she said, to find new sources for donations.

Moore said organizations can help by holding food drives. The food bank provides groups with a how-to kit and suggestions on which pantries could use the donations in their areas.

Sharon Hodge, executive director of People in Need, a pantry in New Castle that the food bank serves, said the amount of food the pantry distributes is increasing.

“But it’s not enough,” she said. “There are people we can’t serve.”

Dennis McManus, the food bank’s education and advocacy coordinator, said the food bank would appreciate funding from the county, since state resources have dropped off.

He also said cuts in government programs are affecting how much money is available for people who receive aid to spend on food.

“It’s important that we all create greater awareness of the problem of hunger,” he said.

People should let their elected officials know it’s important, he added.

Commissioners said there might be money available from grants to help the food bank.

“Sad to say, more and more of this is coming down the road as the economy gets worse,” said Commissioner Rick DeBlasio.

Moore said everyday life can be hard.

Imagine what it’s like, she said, if that’s compounded by not knowing if you have enough food to prepare a meal for your kids.