Shelves of area food pantries nearly bare

WANT TO HELP?

Canned or food items can be dropped off at the FISH offices, 106 S. Sprigg St., between 9 a.m. and noon Monday through Friday. Call 334-0207.

Monetary donations can be mailed to FISH at P.O. Box 327; Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63702.

By Laura Johnston ~ Southeast Missourian

Although holiday celebrations are still a few weeks away, the needs are evident now.

Area food pantries have nearly bare shelves and are expecting requests to increase. Community service agencies are beginning to see their resources stretched to meet the increasing requests for utility assistance.

The Salvation Army will begin accepting applications for its Christmas baskets as well as Toybox applications today. Toybox is a joint program of the Southeast Missourian and the Cape Girardeau Jaycees that provides Christmas gifts and toys to needy children in the city.

The applications can be picked up between 10 a.m. and noon and from 1 to 4 p.m. weekdays. Each applicant must bring a picture ID, a Social Security card for every individual in the household and proof of address.

Because service requests are already up 25 percent for the year, Maj. Mike Thomas of the Salvation Army expects the holiday season to be a busy one.

The Salvation Army helped more than 1,200 families last year with some sort of assistance, whether food or utilities or housing. "If that trend continues you can just imagine what it may mean," he said.

FISH food pantry also expects a steady stream of clients seeking food assistance, said board member Gil Degenhardt.

"We seem to have a consistent flow," he said. The pantry sees many repeat requests for help throughout the course of the year.

"One thing we are experiencing is more requests for cash," he said. "They need help to pay their water and utilities, and they're running out of cash."

The food pantry was organized by the churches in Cape Girardeau and the surrounding area and helps meet monetary needs in some cases.

Fall is usually a time of large donations to the food pantry, Degenhardt said. Items currently needed are peanut butter, canned beans, pasta and noodles, canned fruits and canned meats like ravioli, chili and corned beef hash.

The Salvation Army will begin its annual Christmas campaign drive Friday to help fund its assistance services and other programs. The goal for the kettle drive is $225,000.

The campaign provides 35 percent of the local Salvation Army's budget for the coming year, Thomas said.

There are 14 store locations where volunteers will ring bells and accept donations. In addition there are several restaurants that will have counter kettles, smaller versions of the free-standing units, to collect donations, Thomas said.

The Salvation Army's Tree of Lights lighting ceremony, which is the official kickoff to the campaign, will be at 5 p.m. Nov. 16 at Westfield Shoppingtown West Park.

ljohnston@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126