In the past five years Living Faith Food Pantry in Viroqua has more than doubled the number of patrons it serves each week. In recent months, the pantry has distributed about 6,000 pounds of food to 170 households each week. This volume of need has stressed the capacity of the pantry at many levels.
Pastor Dale Toltzman said that it has been another hectic summer at the Living Faith Food Pantry. Volunteer manpower to staff both the Monday and Wednesday distributions ordinarily runs at minimal levels. During the summer, however, when volunteers take vacations, the workforce runs about 25-30 percent less than what pantry organizers would really like to have.
In recent weeks the shortage of manpower during the Wednesday distribution had patrons backed up to the point where some gave up and left.
"We expect that this manpower shortage will become critical in August as volunteers continue to schedule vacation time," Toltzman said. "We have reached a point where a distribution may be cancelled due to a volunteer manpower shortage. We make an appeal to the community for volunteer support to maintain this important distribution process."
Individuals interested in supporting the food pantry may call either 608-542-0581 or 608-542-0651.
