NORWICH – After the Chenango County Roots and Wings food pantry reported in September the highest number of people served in its 14-year history, the organization continues to face challenges with higher numbers still.
For the month of November, Roots and Wings served 543 families in Chenango County, translating to approximately 1,800 individuals. It’s the second time this year the organization has broken its all-time high for people served and according to Roots and Wings coordinators, it warrants concern for the organization as well as smaller food pantries across the county.
Roots and Wings Food Pantry Coordinator Kathy Darrah tracks numbers for the organization every year. The recent jump in food assistance applicants might be credited to a number of factors, she said, including an ailing economy, unemployment, and a drastic loss of hours for people who are working but paid by the hour.
“We’ve had a lot of new intakes recently. A lot of the increases we see are coming from that,” Darrah said, citing the 37 new families that signed up for food assistance at Roots and Wings in November. “There was no place else for them to turn so they came to us.”
In August, Roots and Wings was hoping the worst had passed after it served an astounding 512 families (1,683 individuals) and more than 25,245 meals – a record high at the time. In 2011, more than 4,700 families in the area were served and expectations are to transcend that figure by years end.
Increasing demand for food assistance stretches far beyond Chenango County lines. In 2012, a regional survey conducted by the Food Bank of Central New York found that since 2006, the number of people in 11 surrounding counties who turned to emergency food programs increased 82 percent. Moreover, 73 percent of households utilizing emergency food programs are food insecure, meaning most don’t know where their next meal will come from.
In light of an increasing need, Roots and Wings has received a tremendous amount of support in recent weeks, Darrah noted. The holiday season brought in large amounts of food donations; enough to give out more than 200 Christmas food baskets this year – something Darrah admitted she didn’t think would happen.
“The thought of telling people we couldn’t give out baskets this year was devastating. We were so happy that we were finally able to do that ... The community has responded with an outpouring of food and money donations that have helped keep us going,” said Darrah. The challenge, she added, is to keep that momentum even after the holidays are over.
Looking ahead to 2013, Darrah said she’s not sure what to expect. Although the agency works tirelessly to find grant donations and works in conjunction with other food pantries in the county, she said heightened demand for food assistance statewide is a common trend that means less grant funding available for Chenango County and more competition for grants. “It’s a ripple effect,” she said. “If the little pantries have less, then we see more people, and if we have less, then people try to access one of the smaller pantries ... If one of us is not doing well, we’re all not doing well.”
For information about how to donate to Roots and Wings or to become more involved with the organization, call 336-7897.