When local people fall upon stretches of financial difficulty, many times the only place to make cuts is with food.
When Woodward Food Pantry Karen Ansley began serving in her role at the pantry, the average number of needy families was low.
"We are an emergency pantry and the number of emergencies has gone from about 20 a month in the late 1990s to 100 this last January and this month already, there have been 55 food emergencies," Ansley said.
Now, if you walk into the pantry, there are five cans of corn and no green beans," Ansley said. "Can you believe that in Oklahoma?"
So now, as the needs have increased for local families. so have the needs for the food pantry who provides emergency food supplies to local families.
According to Ansley, of course the easiest thing for donors to do is simply mail in a check. This allows the staff to make large, more efficient purchases of cases of nonperishable food.
However, she said many times churches like to do things like "case drives" and can drives. These events allow others to participate in a way that makes them feel involved.
"Yes, kids love to be involved and we encourage that," she said.
The problem then only becomes making an appointment to drop the goods off.
"We do not staff the pantry full-time," Ansley said. "So when people have items to drop off, they have to call and make an appointment to drop the items off."
To make a food donation of any nonperishable, stable food item, call 580-254-1504 to meet someone at the pantry. To send a check, mail to P.O. Box 281, Woodward, 73802. Make checks payable to Woodward Community Pantry.
