Local Salvation Army running out of food

VW independent/submitted information

The Salvation Army provides lots of help to the needy — whether it’s money, a place to stay, or food for a hungry family. But who helps the Salvation Army when it’s running out of food to give to those less fortunate?

With food supplies running critically low, Major Judy Barter and Robin Agler of the local Salvation Army met in the organization’s food pantry on Friday to discuss what to do next about the empty shelves and pallets.  At Thursday’s Advisory Board meeting, Daniece Maller reported that she had served 172 Van Wert households in June with food and that number is expected to climb even higher during July — a situation not designed to help conserve already dwindling food supplies.

Because of the need to purchase food to fill empty shelves, the local Salvation Army corps has had to stop all financial assistance, which helps families with such things as utilities, shut-off notices, rental assistance, medicine.

Much of the food purchased comes from the West Ohio Food Bank in Lima, but that organization has not been able to supply some of the foodstuffs needed to create a complete and nutritious food package for distribution. That means, the Salvation Army has had to go to local markets to purchase the food, and, while local markets have been very generous, they cannot compete with the price of shopping at the food bank. With the needs of local families increasing and their fuel the Salvation Army has had to purchase more and more food the last two years.

According to Major Arthur Barter of the Salvation Army, the United Way Day of Caring Food Drive coming up September 26  collected more than 30,000 food items last year for the food pantry. The event is the largest local food drive of the year and has, in the past, supplied enough food to last up to eight months. However, the last couple of years, the food collected has lasted only for four to five months, he noted.

Meanwhile, the Salvation Army is faced with a serious situation: there is enough food in the pantry to last all of next week, but then it is gone.

Those wanting to donate food, or money to buy food, can contact The Salvation Army at 419.238.9100 or take food to its facility at 1180 S. Washington St.