Area food pantries strained

By Rheta Murry
of the Daily Times Staff

With higher prices for gasoline, food and medicines, more Blount countians are seeking the assistance of public agencies designed to help them.

"We are seeing a definite increase in the number of people we serve," said Julie Vernon, warehouse manager for Community Food Connection of Blount County. "We have gone from 800 families to approximately 1,100 families a month."

Because the difficult economy hit during the summer months when school is out, Vernon explained that parents must provide three meals a day. These children generally eat two meals a day at school, when it is in session, alleviating their family's food budget. Twenty-four percent of families Community Connection feeds are children, Vernon said.

Dr. Horace Brown, director of Chilhowee Baptist Center on East Broadway, has also seen an increase in the need for food, clothing and furniture.

"With the current economic conditions, we're having 20 to 25 new clients a week, and we're serving about 400 people every week," he said. "This time last year, we probably averaged around 300 families."

The elderly, in particular, sometimes do not have money for food and utility bills once they pay for medication. Other people find themselves with reduced hours at work or without a job because of the economic downturn.

"A lot of people have been laid off from their jobs," said long-time Blount County Food Pantry volunteer Margaret Lewis. "And, we get some that are too old to work."

The organization has served Blount County for nearly 40 years.

Like other agencies, Blount County Food Pantry volunteers pre-bag canned and boxed items according to the size of the family seeking assistance. Sets of bags are designed to feed 1-2 people, 3-4, and 5- to 6-member families. If a family is larger, some organizations will provide two sets of bags.

Lewis said local farmers donate fresh produce. In addition to canned goods, bread and sweets also are provided.

Qualifying system used

Nearly all of the agencies assisting Blount County use a qualifying system like the federal poverty guidelines. All require proof of residency in Blount County. Only New Life Ministries Food Pantry of Greenback accepts patrons from other counties.

Though Community Food Connection does require county residency, it is the only organization that does not require proof of need.

"The only thing they have to give us is the knowledge they need food and their name, address, phone number and a form of I.D., like a driver's license to prove they live in the county," Vernon said. "We ask nothing else of them."

A food pantry established April 17 in Greenback already is seeing an increase in the number of people seeking assistance. Kay Buchanan, coordinator of New Life Ministries Pantry of Greenback, attributes the increase to the economy and the word getting out that the pantry is operational.

In addition to food, the pantry provides dish and laundry detergents, and hygiene products. Buchanan explained that an anonymous individual provides these items every week.

More people also are calling Blount County Community Action for assistance of any kind, said program director Kay Garrison.

"I have 20 to 25 phone calls a day, depending on what time of month," Garrison said. "At least half of them are new."

Jean Compton, director of a food bank sponsored by River of Life International in Townsend, is seeing a 4 percent increase in the number of people served.

"It seems like we have added 10 more (people) to our bank than we had been, plus I'm getting calls during the week," Compton said. "We're up to 50 to 60 people, and it keeps raising."

Community Action provides assistance for utility bills, weatherization, house repairs and oversees a commodity program and an energy program, among other things.

"We used to get calls saying they need help with utilities, for example," Garrison said. "Now, they're saying, 'I need help. What can you help me with?' "One of the positive things is, when they come in here for one thing, we can help them with many needs," she said.

Garrison tries to determine how the person got into their situation, and she can refer them to organizations that teach financial or other life skills.

"We see a lot of people who just make poor choices," Garrison said. "Part of my job is to help them see it was a poor choice and see what a better choice would be."

Stretching the dollar

More people have requested Mobile Meals, said senior nutrition program manager Colleen Brzuchalski. She isn't sure why the need has increased, but does know that the increased cost of gasoline is affecting the program.

"A few volunteers are requesting mileage reimbursement," she said.

Food pantries in Blount County depend on donations of non-perishable food, and money to buy bread and canned goods from area stores and Second Harvest Food Bank in Knoxville. Some stores, including Food City, Food Lion and Save-a-Lot, donate items like just-out-of-date baked goods, while providing special prices on other items. At least one area pizzeria provides day-old bread, as does Merita Bread Store.

With the influx of patrons, several food bank officials have expressed concern about having enough food to go around.

"We are trying to make our dollars go as far as we can," Brown said of the Baptist center. "We're buying where we can get stuff the cheapest and we're encouraging our contributors to step up to the plate because we're running short."

He said the organization runs out of something each week. When that happens, Brown uses reserve funds to purchase what they need.

Vernon said Community Connection of Blount County will get close to running out of something important, but "something will crop up or people will donate food and money and we can get it.

"Thankfully, we are getting donations and they are coming in, not huge amounts at once, but people bring food," she said.

It is the same for Blount County Food Pantry. Lewis said area stores have been good to them and "we have some good-hearted people who give us food and some of the banks have had food drives."

Anyone wishing to help area food banks can drop off food or money at their locations.