The Jefferson City Salvation Army served 327 families through its food pantry in February, compared to 539 families in May.
Maj. Sarah Windell with the Salvation Army said the organization expects to be able to provide even more food over the summer.
But as the number of people using the food pantry has increased, the amount of food the Salvation Army receives from the Food Bank of Central and Northeast Missouri and local grocery stores has not changed, and the organization is looking into other ways to make up for the shortfall.
The food pantry is providing free food on Tuesdays from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. and Fridays from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Those in need can visit the Salvation Army’s food distribution center at 927 Jefferson St. to pick up shelf-stable foods, bread, cereal, meat and other items, no questions asked.
The Salvation Army does not ask for proof of income or identification.
“When you’re hungry, you’re just hungry,” employee Nina Serov said.
Windell and other Salvation Army staffers, along with volunteers, including two Jefferson City High School students, rushed to work Friday morning after receiving the latest deliveries from the food bank and local grocery stores. They unloaded and organized cartons of orange juice, crates of milk, bags of bread, boxes of corn and avocados, and various packages of rolls, doughnuts, croissants, mixed fruit and more.
“We get food from the food bank every two weeks. The food pantry will be up and running this afternoon but it will all be gone by the end of the day,” Windell said.
Windell said they typically serve between 35 and 45 households, and that doesn’t include individuals.
The food they receive from food banks and local grocers varies from shipment to shipment. Windell said a lot of the food donated by grocers is still edible but is no longer available in stores. If a store buys a lot of a certain food and people stop buying it, that food can end up in large quantities at the food pantry.
“It depends on what’s in stock at the store. If there’s more shoppers or less orders, we get less. Sometimes we get more, sometimes we get less. Usually after the holidays it’s the worst. They sell a lot of pumpkin pie. Or after the Fourth of July they sell sausage, they sell a ton of sausage,” Windell said.
Sometimes the store’s donations also include less necessary but appreciated items, such as cupcakes and other desserts.
“We want to have our cake and eat it while we can, because for these people this may be their only chance to have it and eat it too,” Serov said.
Even if you don’t take all the items home, nothing goes to waste: Windell said local farmers pick up any spoiled items and use them on their farms.
Windell said heading into the summer, the Salvation Army expects to serve even more people than it did in May. She attributed the increase to warmer weather making it easier for people to travel and school holidays.
Windell said the amount of food they receive from food banks and local grocery stores has not and will not increase with the increase in people using the food pantry.
“We hope more people will donate food. The food bank is a great resource and we’re grateful to get food from them,” Windell said. “We work with them and get food from the grocery store, but we need other avenues. There are hungry people in our community so we’re asking for the community’s help in getting food to our neighbors.”
In addition to the food pantry, a portion of the food the Salvation Army receives is donated to community meals. The Salvation Army provides meals seven days a week, two meals a day, from 12:30 to 1:00 p.m. and 5:30 to 6:00 p.m.
Windell said the organization has fed 20,583 people through community meals so far this year.
Donations can be dropped off at 927 Jefferson St. Call 573-635-1975 to make arrangements.
Cleo Norman/News Tribune From left, Steve Trotter, Salvation Army Maj. Sarah Windell and Nina Seroff open boxes of donated food that line the “free” shelves on Friday at the Salvation Army’s food pantry.
Cleo Norman/News Tribune The Salvation Army’s Maj. Sarah Windell, right, and Steve Trower unload donations at a Salvation Army food pantry on Friday.
