Food needs for hungry are growing

As families and senior citizens struggle to make ends meet with the holiday season approaching, the need for food for those most in need continues to grow in the Mountain Home community.

Demand for services from places such as the El-Ada Community Action Partnership office in Mountain Home more than doubled in the past year, said Terri Cornford, county coordinator for the local support agency.

Previously, El-Ada provided basic food supplies for 20 to 30 families during its weekly distribution each Thursday. Within the past 12 months, that number jumped to at least 140 families, Cornford said.

Meanwhile, the food bank at Grace Lutheran Church set a new record for the most number of families helped during its monthly food distribution Nov. 18. The church provided food to 107 families, directly helping more than 361 people in the Mountain Home community, according to Tina Ruberry, one of the organizers of the church's food distribution last week.

In addition, Grace Lutheran handed out food to 99 families last month, nearly depleting its pantry within two hours, according to Pastor Scott Berner. Families stood outside the church sometimes for hours to receive a portion of this needed relief.

The increase in those needing help include senior citizens and people with disabilities, as well as low-income families, according to Cornford. People are doing what they can to make their dollars stretch, even if it means standing outside in freezing weather for 30 to 45 minutes waiting for distribution of food from El-Ada.

See the Mountain Home News for the complete story.