FISH DRIVE NETS 400 TO 500 BAGS OF FOOD

The FISH food drive Sunday netted about 400 to 500 bags of food for Cape Girardeau's Christian emergency relief organization.

"It was really a lot of food. I was just amazed," said Audrey Daniel, who heads up the food pantry operated by FISH.

A number of church groups Sunday delivered canned goods and other food items to the pantry, housed at the Maple Avenue United Methodist Church, 624 S. Ellis.

"One church alone brought in over 100 bags (of food)," said Daniel. "They had three pickup-truck loads."

She said people started bringing food to the pantry around noon and by 3 p.m. the shelves were stocked full of food.

"We have food on the shelves now in the front and the back (pantry)," pointed out Daniel.

About 30 people, including FISH volunteers, members of the Maple Avenue United Methodist Church and a Southeast Missouri State University sorority, helped stock the pantry shelves Sunday.

"I would say it was really a very successful food drive," she said. "I know the needy people in the community will certainly thank all those people who gave to the pantry."

Daniel said the charitable agency will also benefit from the annual food drive by the Boy Scouts in November.

She noted that a considerable amount of food was donated to the pantry over the past week. "The St. Vincent elementary school children donated over 3,000 food items."

And she said other church groups will be bringing food to the pantry in the weeks to come.

"In fact, we really appreciate it being staggered like that," said Daniel, "number one, for space, and number two, the supplies are fresher that way."

Daniel said the food pantry depends on the generosity of the community. "The pantry would not be able to exist without the people in the community, that's all there is to it," she said.

From May 1, 1990 to April 30, FISH provided food to 1,096 families or more than 3,000 individuals. During that 12-month period, more than 3,000 bags of food were distributed.