Pantries barely keep up with needs
Editor’s note: This is the final installment in our series looking at food insecurity in the region.
By Kristine Porter
This time of year can be very difficult for families living paycheck to paycheck with little money for groceries, let alone gifts.
Karena Thek, the manager of the West End Food Pantry in Kunkletown, told a group of volunteers from BMW in Nazareth recently to expect about 400 families to come through on Saturday, Dec. 16. She had enough donations for that many, and was hoping she wouldn’t run out of supplies.
Carey and Shirley Krum, who volunteer at the pantry regularly, said 409 families showed up the Saturday before Thanksgiving.
“It’s hard to know how many will come, so you have to overly prepare,” Carey Krum said.
The food pantry gives out food twice a month on the first and third Saturday, but there are five Saturdays this month and this was the last distribution for the year. Between that and it being Christmas, the number of people in need could be higher.
Fortunately, the food bank is getting plenty of donations from private food drives, Shirley Krum said.
“It’s people helping people. That’s how it works,” she said.
The Krums said the food pantry also gets food from Second Harvest, but not as much now since more food pantries have opened up and need supplies, too. The number of families that need help keeps growing, Shirley said.
“Oh my goodness yes, more and more,” she said. “I was raised one of 13 children, so I know what the need can be.”
The Krums said the food pantry always welcomes food and money donations, as well as people volunteering their time.
Jim Utter with BMW in Nazareth said his employer gives them a volunteer day to help out in the community. His group helped at the food pantry last year and came back to help again.
His co-worker Cindy Abruzzese said, “We all came last year. I like to do it. I like to meet people.”
“Feels like we should do it more,” Utter said.
Thek, the director of the program, said they welcome volunteers all year round.
“Our mission goes on year round. It is exceedingly high in the deep winter months, when the heating season is at its highest,” she said. “We’re always looking for folks to come help us pack bags and get food ready to go or help us hand out food.”
They pack bags on the Friday before they distribute them beginning at 9 a.m. Volunteers can just show up and help however long they can stay.
As for Saturdays, Thek does ask that people sign-up to volunteer so she knows how many people are available and can make sure she has everyone positioned in the right place.
“It does take a community to feed a community,” Thek said. “I feel like we are making our impact, and we are helping a lot of people, so I appreciate the team approach we have here.”
Anyone interested in volunteering can do so by going to their website and clicking on the volunteer button. A form will pop up, Thek said. Fill it out and send it in.
People can also email her or call her. The information is on their website at www.westendpantry.com.