Good Stuff in TEC: Kansas

Food bank, crisis center see growing need

The Graham Area Food Bank, in conjunction with the Crisis Center, has growing numbers of people in need of food. From mid-October, the number of citizens receiving food from the food bank has significantly increased every month. Since the numbers have escalated, the food bank now feeds approximately 800 people each month.

"This is the highest number of people we’ve ever had," said Don Oldfield, director of the Graham Area Food Bank. "The poverty level of Graham is currently at 17 percent, and that was during the census of 2000. That’s a pretty good chunk of the population. I’m estimating that the poverty level of this year’s census will increase to 20 percent."

The food bank purchases and brings in 3,000 to 3,500 pounds of food every week from the Wichita Falls Area Food Bank. By the end of the week, all of the food is used.
"The increase in food recipients is most likely due to people getting laid off," he said.
The food bank is open Tuesday and Thursday and is staffed by a different church each time. Contributions are also made from different organizations. Volunteers are always welcome and appreciated.

"Offerings are taken every Sunday at the church to contribute to the food bank’s surplus," said Gillie Sebastian of Holy Spirit Episcopal Church. "The food bank’s number of recipients are up and there are homeless people in Graham."

http://www.grahamleader.com/news/get-news.asp?id=15132&catid=1&cpg=get-news.asp

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