Local Food Pantry Running Low on Supplies

A St. James Church leader said Wednesday that Our Daily Bread, the food pantry and soup kitchen based at the church, is running dangerously low on food items and other essentials.

"We do get a steady stream of contributions, but unfortunately it doesn't keep up with the need," said Fr. Bob Smith. "Almost across the board the need would be to restock the pantry as much as possible."

Smith said Our Daily Bread is seeking nonperishable foods such as canned vegetables and soups, kitchen staples such as tuna fish, peanut butter and jelly, and hot and cold cereal, as well as toiletries, baby food, and other essentials.

Donations can be dropped off at the church at any time.

At least one local group responded immediately. On Wednesday, Girl Scout Cadette Troop 2769 set up shop at King Kullen in East Setauket and collected more than 250 items of food to be donated to Our Daily Bread.

"The girls had a great time and we look forward to delivering the food on Sunday morning," troop leader Evelyn Haegele said.

Our Daily Bread is not the only food pantry on Long Island facing shortages.

"There is a trend, and the need for food is greater now more than ever," said Randi Shubin Dresner, president and CEO of Island Harvest, an island-wide hunger relief organization.

Dresner said Island Harvest surveys conducted each month showed a 75 percent increase in the need for more food at agencies within its network between May and July. She said hunger is "almost at crisis proportion right now."

"Just a few years ago people were turning to food pantries as a temporary means of getting food support," she said. "Nowadays it's becoming a critical need...because they are unable to get out of the situation they're in."