From Albany-
When St. Paul’s Episcopal Church opened its food pantry in September, the giving and getting got off to a slow start.
“It was just me and my daughter and four other people,” said Martha, a Jeffersonville resident who declined to give her last name for this story.
A few months can make a world of difference. Within the first 10 minutes that the food bank opened its doors on a recent Wednesday, residents from a number of area households packed the church basement where the food bank takes place.
A line of people stretched around metal pantry shelves, industrial refrigerators and checker-clothed tables seeking out items. Trays of meat, paper cartons of juice and boxes of cereal were grabbed andshoved into bags as quickly as they were laid out.
Martha said she shops at local grocery stores as well, but having a food bank available “really helps” when it comes to making ends meet on her disability income.
It’s a free-choice bank, rather than one wherein preloaded boxes of food are handed out. Residents can take the items off shelves and tables similar to the way patrons shop a grocery store.
“This is a lot better,” she said.
On the last Wednesday in January, in the two-hour period that the bank stays open each Wednesday, about 23 people came into the church basement, said The Rev. Steve Benner.
More here-
http://www.newsandtribune.com/local/local_story_034203732.html
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