Published: December 03, 2009 12:00 am      

Demands continue to escalate at food banks

By MICHELLE MILLER
Staff Writer

The demand for food is growing and according to news reports, food banks across the country are seeing many new faces needing help.

According to Feeding America, food banks across the country are reporting about a 30 percent increase in demand on average, but some have seen as much as a 150 percent jump in demand from 2008 through the middle of this year.

Earlier this month, The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that 49 million people, or 14.6 percent of U.S. households, struggle to put food on the table, the most since the agency began tracking food security levels in 1995.

Ellen St. John, co-director of the Cooperstown Food Bank, says she has seen more people in need of assistance this November than any other month she has been working at the food bank. St. John has been working there since its beginning more than 30 years ago.

``The demand just seems to keep escalating and escalating,’’ says St. John.

``I don’t see why people are saying the economy is getting better,’’ she continued. ``I am not seeing it. I think people are just hopeful the economy will turn around.’’

According to organizers, the food bank, which is located in the basement of the Presbyterian Church, provided help for 3,417 people in 2005 and 6,169 people in 2008. It will probably break that total this year, says St. John.

A couple of years ago, the food bank had to cut its services because it was serving a record number of families. Because the demand organizers decided it was more feasible to provide food to families living in the Northern Otsego County because nearly all funding is from the community and churches of Cooperstown.

Although the food bank has reached peak levels again, providing to 170 plus families, St. John says she does not foresee any more cuts in the future.

The community has stepped up its contributions to support the effort, says St. John. The Cooperstown Food Bank has been fortunate to have such community support. We are very grateful, she added.

St. John says she believes the Cooperstown Food Bank is fairing well compared to other food banks and pantries.

``So far, we have been able to get everything we order,’’ she says. ``We are not in short supply like some others, especially in the big cities, might be.’’

The Cooperstown Food Bank gets the majority of its food from the regional food bank of Northeastern New York in Latham.

Each year, the food bank teams up with the Hoffman Lane Bistro to provide a Thanksgiving meal to those who cannot afford one on their own. According to St. John, meals are prepared by Bistro owner Mark Loewenguth, his staff and family. Meals are delivered to area churches so families don’t have to travel far. The annual event typically provides for about 130 people, says St. John.

St. John says, thanks to donations from the VFW and other organizations, the food bank was also able to give out about 15 turkeys to those in need for Thanksgiving. She says it was a wonderful thing to be able to do during the holiday season.

The Cooperstown Food Bank has an all-volunteer staff and is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to noon and again from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Because of high demands, the food bank is also now open from 10 a.m. to noon on the last two Saturdays of every month. No referrals are needed.