FOOD BANKS: MANY FACE HUNGER EVEN WITH TODAY'S PROSPERITY

Unemployment may be low and programs may be getting people off welfare, but area food banks say many are still lining up for food.

"We are seeing an increase in the number of people receiving food," said Maj. Robert Gauthier, commanding officer at the Cape Girardeau Salvation Army. Its food pantry distributes U.S. Department of Agriculture commodities and bags of food to individuals.

"We are seeing a lot of people, new faces and repeat faces," he said.

"There is a perception that people are getting by without the need to ask for help with food," said Dorene Johnson, executive director of Bootheel Food Bank in Sikeston. It distributes food to agencies in a 16-county area, including Cape Girardeau County.

While there are some success stories of people getting off welfare and into a good job, there are still plenty of people who need help, Johnson said.

According to Bootheel Food Bank, while unemployment is low, there are still those who lose jobs or are in financial crisis. There are farmers whose crops fail. There are those on fixed incomes or in low-paying jobs who can't make ends meet.

"They can brag all they want to about unemployment numbers being low, but that doesn't change the fact that many people still need a basket of food," Johnson said.

When a family that barely makes ends meet faces an unexpected medical bill, an insurance payment or sometimes just shoes for the children, they may face a dilemma of not having enough money to both pay rent and buy food, Johnson said.

Lora Potts, director of the food pantry at Vineyard Christian Fellowship, said many of the recipients of food from her organization rely on fixed disability payments.

Faye Hixon, who with her husband, Randy, runs the food bank at Red Star Baptist Church, said 40 percent of the people they serve are over age 55 and on fixed incomes.

"Many people on fixed incomes just can't make it on their own," said Hixon, who has operated the Red Star food bank for six years. "For those people, this is a necessity."

"We've seen an increase in demand," Johnson said. "Agencies are having an increase of people needing food."

Johnson said that has sent her agency looking for monetary donations to help supply that food.

"We have a lot of food that is available," Johnson said. "The problem is we must pay for the trucks that deliver the food and the warehouse where the food is stored."

The average cost of storing and delivering food is $450 per truck load, Johnson said.

Bootheel Food Bank is a member of the national Second Harvest Food Bank Network. Grocery companies donate food, and Second Harvest members like Bootheel Food Bank distribute it and USDA commodities to non-profit agencies. Those agencies then distribute the food to individuals.

Agencies served in the Cape Girardeau area are the Salvation Army, Red Cross, Bethesda Fellowship, Vineyard Christian Food Pantry, Red Star Baptist Church, Jackson Senior Center and Jackson Senior Pantry.

Local food pantries also can use donations.

Gauthier said the Salvation Army's food pantry is at the lowest point it has ever been for food at this time of year. He said donations of food have been consistent, but requests for food have increased.

Red Star can use donations of food but also seeks personal items like soap and toothpaste, and treats, which it tries to include in bags along with food.

"We try to give them more than just basic commodities," Hixon said. "People need something to feed the soul in addition to feeding the body."

Donations to the Bootheel Food Bank can be sent to P.O. Box 809, Sikeston, Mo. 63801. To donate to local agencies, contact them directly.

How to help

Donations to the Bootheel Food Bank can be sent to P.O. Box 809, Sikeston, Mo. 63801. To donate to local agencies, contact them directly.