November 7, 2009

Food pantries running on empty

BOB REDDY | FLORIDA CATHOLIC VENICE BUREAU EDITOR

Published: 09.12.08

FORT MYERS | When Ann Johnson recently went to a food pantry run by Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Venice Inc. she was grateful for what she was able to take home to her four children.

“It has been very difficult for us,” Johnson said. “This will help get us through. I don’t know what we would have done if they weren’t here. I feel so blessed.”

Many people like Johnson rely on Catholic Charities food pantries throughout the 10-county diocese when times are difficult.

Unfortunately, the shelves at the food pantries have been running bare lately because demand has increased about 75 percent in the past year, according to Christine Nolan, director of the Catholic Charities of Lee, Glades and Hendry counties.

“It is a crisis,” Nolan said. “We receive many generous donations from people but it goes out the door right away. We are getting many people who haven’t normally needed to ask for help are asking now.”

On Sept. 2, the day after Labor Day when more than a dozen families were waiting to come in to the food pantry, the food selection was limited. By the end of the day, an inspection of the pantry revealed several jars of peanut butter, cereal and a small stack of military-style meals-ready-to-eat, but none of the food staples such as rice, dry beans and pasta.

“This is typical and it is kind of scary,” Nolan said.

She said the bare shelves are indicative of a bigger problem with the economy.

Lee County pantries rely heavily on the Harry Chapin Food Bank for a steady supply of food but the stocks there are also low. A notice recently went out from Harry Chapin saying September and October will be very difficult and that requests for food may not be filled.

Other regional food banks are facing similar problems. Catholic Charities of the diocese Chief Executive Officer Peter Routsis-Arroyo said it is a national problem, not just a local one.

“Times are tough for so many more people and there is only so much in food and donations coming in,” Routsis-Arroyo said.

Nolan is making an appeal to parishes in Lee County to help during this current crisis but she admitted this will only be a stop-gap measure.

“Until the economy turns around, this is going to be a problem,” Nolan said. “We are looking at every option to help the maximum number of families we can, but until there are more jobs and people are better off, this will not end anytime soon.”

Basic food commodities are needed such as rice, dry beans, pasta, cereal, macaroni and cheese, canned meats and fish, tomato sauce, cooking oil and corn flour.

“These are the items that families can make the most out of because one bag of rice or beans can feed many people for very little cost,” she said.

For more information, please call Catholic Charities at 941-484-9543.

 

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