Food pantries holding their own Summer months more challenging for donations

Summer traditionally can be a challenging time for food pantries, as kids are home from school, creating a need for additional meals; community food drives are less frequent; and volunteers and donors might be drawn away during vacations.

However, most of the area food pantries managed by local churches seem to be holding their own, relying on congregations for assistance with donations and volunteering.

Anthony Camino, pastoral associate at St. Noel in Willoughby Hills, notes that most of its foodpantry clientele are adults and seniors.

“People are real generous with donating food, so if I put

something in the church bulletin asking for help, they tend to come through,” Camino said.

He also observed that the need for food at St. Noel’s pantry is the same all year round, and doesn’t increase in summer months.

Instead, he said a more difficult time comes in the winter, when there is a lack of fresh produce.

St. Noel is now in need of such items as peanut butter and jelly, all types of pasta except spaghetti, and condiments such as mayonnaise, mustard and ketchup.

At Imani Church in Euclid, Minister of Outreach Carl Brewster said the challenges they face aren’t actually related to summer, but more with transportation.

“There is a little more poverty in the city of Euclid and some of this falls on the elderly or bedridden, and some of the challenges are they don’t have anyone to come pick up their food,” Brewster said.

He said a key question is how the church food pantry can better deliver to those who don’t have means to pick up food and fresh produce. Young single moms are also a concern, as they lack transportation and have a difficult time carrying children and food, he said.

Most of the money that goes toward the pantry comes from the church through tithes and offering.

He also noted that they have about 20 to 25 volunteers.

One area food pantry that does see a higher influx of people during the summer months is the CPC

Food Pantry in Chester Township. That increase is attributed to kids being on vacation from school. More elderly seem to be coming in as well.

However, Pegi Dickson, office manager, noted that they don’t see much decline in donations over the summer months.

“The donations don’t slow down, the need just seems to be greater, but we work with the congregation and the whole ministry,” she said.

The CPC Food Pantry is in need of macaroni and cheese, soups, cereal and tuna.

“People do food drives at Christmas and Thanksgiving, but nobody thinks to do a Fourth of July food drive,” Dickson said.

Jim Dworning, pastor at Vineyard Community Church in Wickliffe, noted that typically the church sees it as more of a challenge in the winter months when the weather turns.

“When the weather gets worse it’s more challenging. We find resources become more scarce than in the summer months,” Dworning said.

During the summer months, a fresh produce market is available, allowing produce to supplement other food items.

The food bank at Vineyard Community Church is 95 percent subsidized by the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.

Dworning said that they do have a pretty large volunteer group.

The food pantry is in need of protein items, such as peanut butter and tuna, or any canned goods.

He noted that monetary donations are helpful as well.

“Donations can be made directly to the church or donate to the Greater Cleveland Food Bank in

our name,” Dworning said.

Mary Carson, food pantry captain at Chardon Food Cupboard located at Pilgrim Christian Church in Chardon, said that their numbers have increased and this is possibly because of helping families who now have children at home that may have relied on the school lunch programs to help feed kids.

This particular food pantry provides 10 days of meals for every member of the family.

Carson notes that there doesn’t appear to be a decline in donations or volunteers.

The only decline in donations they noted are those they receive from the schools during the academic year.

“The donations we get are real generous and we have a very good staff plus backup,” she said.

Carson attributes the food pantry’s ability to provide well to a community that is very generous.

They work the Geauga County Hunger Task Force, along with contributions from various groups in the community.

A local 4-H group has been shopping for the food pantry.

“They call to see what is needed and go out and buy the food,” Carson said.

Carson also said a local doctor matches funds which are given to the Hunger Task Force to provide ground meat to the pantry.

The Chardon Food Cupboard is in need of taxable items that clients cannot purchase with their government assistance, such as hygiene products, paper products and cleaning supplies.

For more information on food pantries, contact United Way’s information hotline by dialing 2-1-1.