With just more than a week until Thanksgiving, the Open Pantry in Springfield is worried that donations aren't coming in fast enough.
Shelves are bare and time is running out.
One box of rice, a few boxes of pasta, and several cans of tuna fish are all that adorn the shelves at the Open Pantry's emergency food pantry with just 9 days before Thanksgiving.
"Donations have been low, plus we're getting a lot more people in, so when we get donations, we're going through the food a lot faster, so that's why we're looking empty right now," said Jisel Pena with Open Pantry's emergency food pantry.
Pena said that the number of families coming here for help has dramatically increased over the last year and the holidays are especially tough.
"The need is all year long, but when the holidays come, it gets a little bit harder for people who are trying to make ends meet, get kids what they need, get food on the table," Pena explained.
There are regulars who donate, like Gerri Thompson who stopped in today to drop off the weekly offering collected at Springfield's Foster Memorial Church.
"It's just something that we enjoy doing and helping people in the community," Thompson said.
However, Thompson said that she's a bit shocked the shelves are this bare.
"I am surprised that it's this bare, especially this time of year. People just don't realize the importance of what a canned good or package of rice or a dry good could make a difference to a family," Thompson noted.
They need everything at the Open Pantry. In fact, they are 50 turkeys short of their goal.
"Right now, we're in need of turkeys and all the fixings for Thanksgiving dinner. Proteins like peanut butter, tuna, canned meats. anything for that matter. Cereal too. Anything that people can find in their hearts to donate," Pena noted.
The Open Pantry has a couple of big events coming up to help fill the shelves. Rock 102's Mayflower Marathon to benefit the emergency food pantry starts on Monday. It's a 52 hour food drive held at the Basketball Hall of Fame. CLICK HERE to learn more on the Mayflower Marathon.
Also, the popular "Stuffing the Pantry" 5k run and walk is being held on Thanksgiving day in East Longmeadow. You can CLICK HERE to learn more on the 5k.
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