By MICHELLE MILLER
Staff Writer
The demand for food is growing
and according to news reports,
food banks across the country
are seeing many new faces
needing help.
According to Feeding America,
food banks across the country are
reporting about a 30 percent increase
in demand on average, but
some have seen as much as a 150
percent jump in demand from
2008 through the middle of this
year.
Earlier this month, The U.S.
Department of Agriculture reported
that 49 million people, or
14.6 percent of U.S. households,
struggle to put food on the table,
the most since the agency began
tracking food security levels in
1995.
Ellen St. John, co-director of
the Cooperstown Food Bank, says
she has seen more people in need
of assistance this November than
any other month she has been
working at the food bank. St.
John has been working there
since its beginning more than 30
years ago.
``The demand just seems to
keep escalating and escalating,’’
says St. John.
``I don’t see why people are
saying the economy is getting
better,’’ she continued. ``I am not
seeing it. I think people are just
hopeful the economy will
turn around.’’
According to organizers,
the food bank, which is located
in the basement of
the Presbyterian Church,
provided help for 3,417 people
in 2005 and 6,169 people
in 2008. It will probably
break that total this year,
says St. John.
A couple of years ago,
the food bank had to cut its
services because it was
serving a record number of
families. Because the demand
organizers decided it
was more feasible to provide
food to families living
in the Northern Otsego
County because nearly all
funding is from the community
and churches of Cooperstown.
Although the food bank
has reached peak levels
again, providing to 170 plus
families, St. John says she
does not foresee any more
cuts in the future.
The community has
stepped up its contributions
to support the effort, says
St. John. The Cooperstown
Food Bank has been fortunate
to have such community
support. We are very
grateful, she added.
St. John says she believes
the Cooperstown
Food Bank is fairing well
compared to other food
banks and pantries.
``So far, we have been
able to get everything we
order,’’ she says. ``We are
not in short supply like
some others, especially in
the big cities, might be.’’
The Cooperstown Food
Bank gets the majority of
its food from the regional
food bank of Northeastern
New York in Latham.
Each year, the food bank
teams up with the Hoffman
Lane Bistro to provide a
Thanksgiving meal to those
who cannot afford one on
their own. According to St.
John, meals are prepared
by Bistro owner Mark
Loewenguth, his staff and
family. Meals are delivered
to area churches so families
don’t have to travel far. The
annual event typically provides
for about 130 people,
says St. John.
St. John says, thanks to
donations from the VFW
and other organizations,
the food bank was also able
to give out about 15 turkeys
to those in need for Thanksgiving.
She says it was a
wonderful thing to be able
to do during the holiday
season.
The Cooperstown Food
Bank has an all-volunteer
staff and is open Monday
through Friday from 10
a.m. to noon and again from
2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Because of
high demands, the food
bank is also now open from
10 a.m. to noon on the last
two Saturdays of every
month. No referrals are
needed.
inactive
December 3, 2009
Demands continue to escalate at food banks
- inactive
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- Olympic rower launches program A two-time Olympic rower and head coach of Cooperstown Crew will be starting a new indoor rowing program in partnership with the Oneonta Boys and Girls Club.
- Autism walk to be held Saturday at Glimmerglass State Park Cooperstown will be among five sites kicking off Autism Awareness Month this Saturday.
- Shooting leaves residents dismayed Village residents are expressing shock about Friday’s shooting incident and are eager to reach an understanding of why it happened in a small, close-knit community like Cooperstown.
- Earth Festival is Saturday at MCS The Earth Festival, now in its fifth year, is an environmentally focused, interactive event featuring exhibits, workshops, vendors, food and entertainment, all with a fun, earthfriendly twist.
- Booan takes the helm as new C’town leader Joe Booan was sworn in at noon Monday and later that evening set an aggressive agenda for the village during the board of trustees’ annual reorganizational meeting.
- Shooting leaves residents dismayed: New mayor’s statement After canceling a press conference scheduled for Monday afternoon, new Mayor Joe Booan made the following statement during the village’s reorganizational meeting Monday night concerning Friday’s shooting incident.
- Hage appointed village trustee Mayor Joe Booan appointed Charles Hage to the board of trustees to fill the vacancy created when he was elected mayor.
- CCS makes more cuts to lower tax levy Last-minute changes have been made to the Cooperstown Central School proposed 2010-11 budget.
- Cuts likely at CV-S Cherry Valley-Springfield Superintendent Robert Miller says he has been losing sleep during his time preparing for the 2010-11 school budget.
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