Local pantries plan food drive to address donation shortages

Monroe County United Ministries is soliciting volunteers for a major food drive planned for the weekend leading into the fall semester.\nIt seeks 100 volunteers to man booths taking donations outside most supermarkets in Bloomington and Ellettsville. The nonprofit organization needs to meet a target of 118 pounds of food at the risk of further reduced services.\nLike many area pantries, United Ministries has seen a recent surge in demand from working families requesting temporary food assistance. Since 2004, demand has shot up 72 percent while donations have risen only slightly.\nThe area's largest pantry, Mother Hubbard's Cupboard, reports a 60 percent spike over the same period. Pantries deal in the hard numbers of nonperishable foodstuffs and cannot stretch out supplies creatively like soup kitchens.\nWithout resources, United Ministries has been forced to cut its emergency services. It long provided three meals a day per family member for five days, and it can now muster only three days of assistance.\n"We initially expected it to only be for a few months," said Rebecca Stanze, development coordinator of United Ministries. "It's now been over a year, and it's cause for concern."\nHigh-paying manufacturing jobs have disappeared from the area in recent years. Increased housing and energy expenses have taken oversized bites out of many family budgets.\nMany officials warn of a looming hunger crisis.\n"It's a very busy weekend," Stanze said. "People are already there to shop for food, and we hope it will help us climb out of this."\nScheduled for August 26 and 27, the food drive will take place at all Kroger locations, all Marsh locations, O'Malia's, Bloomingfoods and Buehlor's Bi-Lo in \nEllettsville. WIFU and Bunger & Robertson are sponsoring the drive, with posters provided by Rhino's Youth Center.\nVolunteers are sought for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. shifts to pass out flyers on the hunger issue with shopping guidelines for giving.\n"This isn't one of our annual events," Stanze said. "Success will depend upon participation."\nUnited Ministries hopes for more student charity during the academic year to pull out of the rough patch. It's been working with Union Board to develop strategies to raise awareness of the hunger issue. Several ideas have been bandied about, including canned food donations as event covers.\n"They have been so proactive and supportive to help out any way they can," said Junior Kathryn Schluntz, a United Ministries intern. "They are busting their butts already to make this year a huge success."\nTo volunteer or for more information, contact kschlunt@indiana.edu or 339-3429.