A shift in donations to southern states because of Hurricane Katrina and the closing of seven manufacturing plants have left the Second Harvest Foodbank of Southeast Ohio in dire need of supplies.
The food bank has experienced a 40 percent decrease in funds and resources during the past year, but that is not a new situation, said Dick Stevens, division director of food and nutrition at the Hocking Athens Perry Community Action Agency, which operates the food bank.
Our supply of food is not keeping pace with the demand for it
Stevens said.
The food bank sponsors more than 200 programs in nine Southeast Ohio counties.
One of the programs the food bank sponsors is the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, which serves about 4,000 senior citizens in nine Southeast Ohio counties. Other programs the food bank supports include Meals-On-Wheels and Head Start.
Last year the food bank distributed approximately 12 million pounds of food.
Our goal is to make people realize that they can make a difference said Marilyn Sloan, food bank coordinator. Just $1 donated can buy seven pounds of food for these programs.
Saturday the food bank will be having a fundraiser through Kroger. Kroger stores in Athens, Nelsonville and Trimble will be collecting food and money donations from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Kroger also will have cards that customers can put money on to use within the store. Five percent of money spent using those cards will be donated to the food bank, said Allene Kilgore of the Foodbank Advisory Board.
Kroger has been such a huge support of the (Second Harvest) Foodbank and food banks across the state she said.
The food bank would like to sell 100 Kroger cards, which can also be used year-round.
Hunger is not a season - it's everyday
Sloan said.
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