| Food shelf stocked, but empties fast |
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Posted: Wednesday, November 12, 2008 9:57 pm
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By LINSEY MAUGHAN
Staff Writer
WASECA — Though the food shelf at the Waseca Area Neighborhood Service Center just filled up thanks to three local food drives, director Christine Baidoo said they are always in need of donations.
“It’s looking good,” she said, “but the demand is also very high. I can’t sit at my desk for 10 minutes without having an appointment to go to the food shelf.”
This year, Baidoo says, the shelf has seen visits from people from neighboring towns like New Richland, Waldorf and Janesville, in addition to people from Waseca.
“We are encouraging more people to donate; we just can’t keep the food and some of the hygiene items on the shelf long enough,” she said. “They just fly off the shelf as soon as you stock them.”
When people visit the food shelf, they are given a six-week supply of food. For that reason, they are asked to only visit four times per year. Still, Baidoo said people try to come more often than that.
“We have seen an increase in many young families moving into Waseca,” she said. “We have a few first-time people coming to the food shelf.”
By Baidoo’s estimations, she helps approximately 120 families per month, and about six per day. Families may choose whichever items they want from the food shelf’s selection. Among those options are frozen chicken and beef, as well as whatever fresh produce is in stock.
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The food shelf also now offers a special Nutritional Assistance Program for senior citizens who are considered low-income.
Baidoo said the food shelf typically sees an increase in visitors as winter approaches, which she attributes to people becoming unemployed, oftentimes because their seasonal jobs, such as construction work, come to an end for the year.
And in light of the economy, Baidoo does not foresee a decrease in visitors to the food shelf anytime soon.
“We’ve been doing OK generally, in spite of the high demand,” she said. “Wasecans always come through — the help that we get is amazing.”
Linsey Maughan may be reached at (507)837-5449 or lmaughan@wasecacountynews.com
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