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Need for assistance growing -- resources are not
Nevada Daily Mail
Community Outreach is facing increasing need for its services in Vernon County and little or no increase in the available resources.
Like many food pantries around the country, the cut in food stamps in recent months has caused a rush on the available supplies.
"In November we served 102 families," Barbara Long, Community Outreach director, said last week.
"Food was flying off the shelf and we couldn't keep up. And the need is up more in December" she said.
"Some families that used to get $400 or $500 in food stamps, were cut to $250 per month," she said.
And during the months of October and November, Community Outreach cannot do any fundraising activities for itself because it is a recipient of money from the United Way, which conducts its annual fund drive during those two months.
"Donations of money or food are always welcome," Long said.
A new way people can donate to Community Outreach is through the use of the loyalty points customers at Woods receive to earn free items to donate to Community Outreach, which is always in need of non-perishable food items, as well as paper goods and hygiene products.
"This was Sue Quitno's idea," she said.
Long said that Woods and Wal-Mart also send food to Community Outreach each week.
"I have a crew of men who pick it up," she said.
"We've received $36,000 worth of food from Woods," she said.
"Wal-Mart has provided thousands of pounds of food through its partnership with Feeding America," she said.
There have also been many recent donations from community clubs, individuals and businesses, she said.
That is the great thing about the Christmas season, donations are plentiful, however, at other times of the year, while the need remains the same the donations fall off, Long said.
In fact, during 2013 the need actually increased between January when 375 families received food and November when that number climbed to 495.
"It's gone up for the last year," Katlyn Logan, who volunteers one day a week at Community Outreach and tracks those numbers, said.
During the annual food distribution at National Guard Armory Wednesday, Long said they provided food to 267 families and an additional 40 the next day.
In addition to helping families, Long said they also provide food to Nevada's homeless population.
"We served 11 homeless people this month," Logan said, adding that number varies from month-to-month.
"Last month we gave out 72 homeless bags," she said.
Most of these are not the stereotypical homeless person sleeping in their cars or in abandoned buildings, although there are some of these as well. They are referred to as couch surfers, who stay at one friends house for a while and then move on to another friend.
Long said that on weekends when Community Outreach is closed the homeless bags are available from the Vernon County Sheriff's Office.
"It's been a tough year for the economy and the jobs. Last year was different -- people were less panicked," she said.
"The cut in food stamps scared people," Long said.
Long said that anyone wishing to donate to the Community Outreach can drop the donations off at 229 N. Cedar St. from 9 a.m. to noon on Monday and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Friday. For more information call Community Outreach at 417-667-4339.