Food banks see need increasing

Some area food pantries are seeing an increase in families in need in Hernando County while food donations are becoming fewer and fewer.

However, others say many in the community are doubling their efforts to meet that need, especially with the upcoming holiday season.

Kay Anderson, chairwoman of the food pantry for St. Vincent De Paul in Spring Hill, said the number of families coming to her pantry more than doubled from 2007 to 2008 - from 538 families in 2007 to 850 in 2008 - a 58 percent increase. Through October of this year, that number again increased to 990 families.

Those numbers don't include those helped during Thanksgiving and Christmas.

"The demand is just unbelievable and we're basically seeing an increase every month," Anderson said. "And people basically aren't giving as much because they also don't have anything to give."

Anderson said revenues from the thrift store for the church have been used to purchase food and meet the increasing demand.

Likewise, Sharon Iverson, ministry coordinator for Holy Cross Lutheran in Spring Hill, said she's seen an increase in families coming to her food pantry monthly, from half a dozen a month to more than 80 families.

However, she said she's pleased members of the church have pulled together to meet the need.

"A lot of our members are more elderly and I think they remember throughout there lives when times were tough," Iverson said. "So they really care about people not going hungry."

There are currently about 27 food pantries in Heranndo County that rely on community support to meet the needs of families. While many rely on donations, others, such as Bread of Life Ministry in Brooksville, also relies on food donations from businesses along with food banks.

Carleton Rinehart, director of Bread of Life Ministry, increased government regulations, not donations, have impacted his ability to provide for families. Years ago he said grocery stores such as Publix used to provide meat, salads and other items. Now he said regulations prohibit his group from receiving those. So instead of food being donated to hungry families, he said it's thrown away.

"You can't fight Uncle Sam, or basically the government themselves," Rinehart said. "These rules that are made end up hurting people, not helping."

After opening food pantry doors for the Jericho Road Ministries and taking over operations for another pantry, The Rev. Bruce Gimbel, executive director of the pantry, said he's seen a steady increase in needy families. However he said grants - coupled with donations from other church groups, businesses and individuals - has helped meet that growing need.

However, no matter how many donations come through, he said the number of families needing that help just keeps growing.

"Unfortunately, we can expect to see that number (of families) quadruple," Gimbel said. "I wish wethere wasn't a need for food pantries."

For more information about food pantries in the area, contact Jericho Road Ministries at 352-799-2912.