CLARKSBURG — For several food pantries in North Central West Virginia, the summer months can put added strain on the inventory they keep to aid families in need.
Dolores Yoke, co-president of The Mustard Seed in Clarksburg, said the pantry has seen a 40 percent increase in the number of people needing food so far this year.
She said the increase was caused by this year’s slight rise in Social Security benefits.
“It was enough to kick many people off food stamps or reduce the help they get,” she said.
As a result, the pantry has been hit hard, and many items are becoming scarce.
“It’s a little scary,” she said.
Another factor in The Mustard Seed’s low inventory: The pantry received fewer food items then usual from the Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive this year, and those items have already been depleted, Yoke said.
Even though Harrison County has many free summer lunch programs, families with children often have a greater need for food when school is out, she said.
And with children hanging out with friends over the summer, visiting each other’s houses or staying with grandparents, there can be a ripple effect on other families in a neighborhood, she said.
Many area churches support The Mustard Seed, and Yoke said she has told them of the dire need for nonperishable food items, including cereal and canned goods, so the pantry can meet the needs of the community.
Donations are welcome at The Mustard Seed, which is located at 444 E. Pike St. in Clarksburg.
Yoke added that people have been bringing the food pantry fresh produce from their gardens, which has been making a huge difference.
Shepherd’s Corner in Bridgeport is also low on inventory.
The Bridgeport Lions Club and Women’s Club host an annual food drive in October that usually carries Shepherd’s Corner through the year, but for the first time this year, supplies have gotten low, said Mary Ellen Depue, the pantry’s coordinator.
“For one reason, we are having more food orders than normal, and we have been asking the churches for hygiene supplies rather than food for the last couple of months,” she said.
With more food orders and less intake, the pantry’s stock is depleting quickly. Food items of every kind, such as baked beans, spaghetti sauce and canned milk, are among the most-needed.
Depue said one of the reasons more people are asking for food this summer is that West Virginia Community Action no longer approves individuals for food orders. Now, people can come straight to the pantry and be vetted, she said.
The reason for their influx in hygiene items, she added, was because items like razors, shampoo, soap, detergent and deodorant can’t be purchased with food stamps.
With children being out of school, even with the county’s summer food programs, families can be put under additional strain, which leads to the need for more food during the summer months.
“You need more liquids in the summer with the heat, you need more protein, you need more fuel for your body. If they don’t get it at school, where are they going to get it?” she said.
In the last year, the pantry has helped over 25,000 individuals with food orders. They serve close to 2,000 people a month while only being open four hours a day, three days a week.
Even though they are low, Depue said area churches and individuals are still donating regularly, some multiple times a month, which helps them to continue serving those in need.
Donations, she added, are always welcome and can be delivered to 19 Pennsylvania Ave. in Bridgeport.
In Weston, Our Neighbor Director Sandy King said the site is faring quite well through the summer so far, but she has heard and understands the reasons why some pantries may be having a harder time.
“I know why they need more food. The children are home with the parents and they aren’t getting food at school. Even though (Lewis County has a) summer food program, it makes a difference in what they need,” she said.
In many areas, King said people are busy or on vacation in the summer, which can lead to a lack of donations.
Area churches, she said, have been generous with donations, and Lewis County High School’s JROTC program brought in donations a week after school let out. A biker group, she added, is having a food drive for them in the near future.
Frequently, the churches will reach out to ask about what the current needs are.
Though the community support is great, she said there are still items that are always needed, such as peanut butter, jelly and sugar.
“We did need ramen noodles, but one of the churches delivered an enormous amount,“ she said.
Canned meats, such as tuna, SPAM and chicken, are also always welcome because some individuals may not have proper refrigeration.
Helping thousands of individuals all year long, King said, continues to give her passion.
“It’s very rewarding to know we are there when they need us and we try to help and answer their needs,” she said.
Food donations can be accepted at 170 W. Second St. in Weston.
