Two food pantries operated by Rome Action Ministries have run out of goods.
To cushion the blow, the ministry closed the South Broad United Methodist Church pantry Dec. 10 and will not reopen it until Dec. 27. The Garden Lakes Baptist Church pantry will close Friday and reopen Jan. 3.
The ministry has never experienced such a crisis since its beginning in 1981, according to Cathy Aiken-Freeman, program director.
“This is new for us. We haven’t had to close pantries before,” Aiken-Freeman said. “We’re hoping to fill up by Jan. 3, but it’s the leanest we’ve ever seen it.”
She and other administrators of local food assistance programs attribute the difficult circumstances to an extreme surge in need in the past 12 months, most likely brought on by layoffs and price hikes for everything from oil and gas to rent and utilities.
The situation mirrors a national trend where, according to a recent report by the New York Times, food banks across the country are reporting shortages.
Those increases affect the working poor the most, said Eileen Farrell, captain of the local Salvation Army.
“When you’re making minimum wage, to keep from getting evicted, you’re gonna pay your bills first before buying food,” Farrell said.
Those in need of assistance came in droves to Rome Action Ministries in 2007, compared with the same period in 2006.
The program has currently given away about 150,000 pounds of groceries to about 9,000 people since the beginning of the year.
In 2006, the program moved 70,000 pounds of groceries to 4,000 people.
The Salvation Army also has experienced a surge in need, assisting 878 families so far in 2007 compared with 757 in 2006. The organization ran out of food in October and handed out gift cards to grocery stores instead to tide families over. The Nov. 30 can-a-thon brought in 326,600 cans, which Farrell said she hopes will last through 2008.
The Salvation Army in Rome serves Floyd, Chattooga and Polk counties.
The Floyd County Baptist Association reported a five percent increase in demand for its food pantry in 2007.
The Rome Community Kitchen, a coalition of five downtown churches that take turns providing lunch six days a week, has reported a greater demand as well.
Lisa Stuenkel, a volunteer at First United Methodist Church, said the norm the past five years has been to feed about 150 people a day. The number rose to about 200 people a day in 2007.
And although the Rome Community Kitchen does not operate a pantry and buys much of its food from the Atlanta Food Pantry for 15 cents a pound, Stuenkel stressed they have lobbied harder for donations this year to keep the food flowing.
Area businesses have helped out this year, including several car dealerships and the Armuchee Food Lion.
But individual donations are still the bread and butter of any food assistance program, Stuenkel said.
“It’s very important for people to keep us at the front of their minds,” she said.
Click here for a previous story about the Can-A-Thon.
TO DONATE
Rome Action Ministries: Call the office at 706-291-7731. They can let you know what they need, and they will also pick up your donation.
Rome Community Kitchen: Donations are accepted every day at the five downtown churches: First Methodist, First Presbyterian, First Baptist, St. Peter’s Episcopal and Second Avenue Baptist. They can also arrange to pick up your donation.
Salvation Army: Call 706-291-4745
Floyd County Baptist Association: Call 706-294-0904
