BELLOWS FALLS — The Our Place Drop-in Center recently held two successful food drives that will help the agency deal with a 65 percent increase in the number of families coming in for groceries.
“In March, we served 240 adults and 166 children,” said Our Place Director Lisa Pitcher, “which is up from 153 adults and 93 children this time last year.”
Pitcher attributed the rise in need to people using up their financial reserves as their unsuccessful search for work drags on, and to decreases in government support, such as food stamps.
“We are seeing many more unemployed folks coming in,” she said.
In addition to giving out groceries, Our Place also served 1,436 meals in its dining room - including breakfasts, lunches, and meals to go - in March. That's up from 762 in March 2010.
The recent food drives at Shaw's in Walpole, N..H., and Lisai's market in Bellows Falls netted the food pantry 10 bins of staples, $350 in cash, and a $2,500 contribution from the George Dascomb Trust.
The drive was aided by a group of students from Vermont Academy, including two from China, who stood outside Lisai's on a cold day asking shoppers to pick up an extra can or two to add to the bin. Helping with the collection were Rachel Therrien of Alstead, N.H., Samantha McIntosh of Saxtons River, and Fengfan “Grace” Zhang, and Xindi “Vallery” Hao, both from China.
Two upcoming events will also help stock the shelves while raising awareness about the issue of hunger in the community. Scoop the Loop, Saturday, May 7, is an easy two-mile walk around downtown Bellows Falls that asks participants to donate foodstuffs as the price of admission. Stamp Out Hunger is a program of the rural postal carriers, who will pick up food donations along their routes on Saturday, May 14.
“We count on these events, and church, club and business food drives, to keep us stocked,” said Pitcher. “Even one bag of groceries can make a difference in whether parents can provide for their kids, or older folks skimp on other necessities.”
Our Place is a daytime shelter and foodshelf located at 4 Island Street. Its mission is to connect people to food and one another other. It is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to serve families in Athens, Bellows Falls, Saxtons River, Westminster, Rockingham and the surrounding area, and in Walpole and North Walpole, N.H.
Information is available by contacting 802-463-2217, emailing ourplace@sover.net, or visiting www.ourplacevt.org.