TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) – Local food pantries and food banks say COVID-19 has caused an increase need for emergency resources, and volunteers and staff are working hard to meet the community’s need.
According to staff with Terre Haute Catholic Charities, before the COVID-19 pandemic, over 39,000 people struggled with food insecurity across 7 Wabash Valley counties.
Now, this number is even higher.
“With the increases we’re seeing right now with people who are in need, I know that that the number has increased and that it’s not going to decrease for a while,” said Jennifer Buell, Terre Haute Catholic Charities assistant agency director.
Buell says with many businesses temporarily closing their doors, the organization has also seen an increase of people seeking assistance for their first time.
“We’ve seen as many as 50 percent of the households who comes thru there –mobile food distributions– to pick up food who have never before had to receive emergency food assistance, or haven’t in at least the last three months,” Buell said.
To meet demand, Buell says Catholic Charities has added additional mobile food distributions and they’ve also received help from volunteers.
At the Clay County Emergency Food Pantry leaders say they’ve also seen a heightened need for food resources, especially from seniors.
“When people retire they think ‘I’ve got x-amount of dollars and now I’m on easy street’, and they’re finding out that’s not the case,” said Mike Robinson, CEO of Clay County Emergency Food Pantry.
With the help of their community, both food resources say they have been able to handle the increased need caused by COVID-19, and they’ve seen the gratitude from those who have fallen on hard times.
“They’ve been so thankful for us to be there and quite honestly even as we have had to learn a new process and sort of work through some of those kinks that come with trying something new, they’ve been so patient throughout that,” Buell said.
Buell says due to many volunteers being at highest risk for COVID-19 some food pantries across the Valley have closed or limited their hours.
We spoke with Tim Hale, a member on the board of the Linton Community Food Pantry, who recently decided to close.
Hale says they are attempting to fill blessing boxes until they are able to re-open.
If you would like to assist, Buell says monetary donations are appreciated, as organizations like Catholic Charities are able to purchase food cheaper than store price.
Robinson says the Clay County Emergency Food Pantry is also in need of personal hygiene items like shampoo and soap.
