Helping Hunger in Your Community

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Created on Thursday, 08 November 2012 16:16

Written by Alyssa Sylvia

AROUND THE NEK - As the days get shorter and the nights get colder, more and more people all across the country are in need of help to support their families.

However, donations to local food banks and national organizations are lessening, causing Americans to go more and more hungry.

 The Vermont Food Bank is the state’s largest hunger-relief organization, serving communities in all 14 counties of Vermont through a network of more than 280 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, senior centers and after-school programs.

In fiscal year 2011, the Vermont Food Bank distributed more than 8 million pounds of food to as many as 86,000 Vermonters. Here in the NEK, food shelters across the state are suffering from this rough economy, since they're donations from the general public are severely lacking compared to years past.

Earlier in October, the Sheffield food pantry announced that from this point forward they will only be providing food to people who can't easily leave their homes. The Lyndon Food Shelf on Mill St, is only open to pick up food on Wednesdays from 1:30 - 4:30 p.m, and a local non-profit organization, H.O.P.E. in Lyndonville is now in the process of making their availability to food services only available on an emergency need basis.

Samantha Klepper, who is an assistant manager at hope, explains how the program once was, "It used to be almost like...grovery shopping. You could come in and say I want that, I want that, I want that, and then we'd put it in a bag for you. It's already pre-made, but I don't want anyone to think we don't offer food anymore becuase we do...we're just focusing more on the backpack program and trying to redirect people to other food shelfs around the area."

H.O.P.E is encouraging people to go to the local area food shelves, if they're in need of regular food assistance. To learn more about helping hunger in your own community, visit The Vermont Foodbank Website. Or visit your local food shelf.