Forget about the newest toy; give the gift of food

In downtown Peoria at the Salvation Army’s Sylvia Fites Center, far from the comfortable homes in Washington, people shiver in the cold. Their faces are lined with worry, stress, hunger and desperation.

These people stand in line looking for a handout of the most basic of needs — food.

Some are surely victims of their own bad decisions, be it alcohol, drugs or a lack of education.

Some expect others to provide for them and will never change.

But, many more fall into the category of victims of circumstances beyond their control. These are the people who have seen their work hours cut, find themselves off work for medical reasons, or they may be families doubling up to share costs. They hate what life has dealt them, and they hate having to seek assistance.

Regardless of how these people came to be standing in that line, the Salvation Army strives to help. They do it without judgment.

The Salvation Army operates one of the biggest food pantries in Peoria.

The pantry is experiencing a marked increase this year in the demand for food assistance, and it is not alone in that regard. Every food pantry and food bank contacted recently is seeing the same thing.

“It’s been crazy. We’re going through so many food orders,” said Glenavary Lucas, family services director for the Heartland Division of The Salvation Army in Peoria. “It’s hard to keep enough food here to fill the food orders ... We have so many people coming in now for food who used to donate.”

The Salvation Army food pantry, through October, assisted 2,204 families, with 5,560 family members. Yet, Norma Weaver, divisional social services director for the Heartland Division of The Salvation Army, fears the worst is yet to come.

The Salvation Army food pantry and others are already seeing spot shortages, especially in terms of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Weaver, however, does not let these shortages worry her.

“Being from a faith-based organization, our outlook is that God will provide,” she said. “It’s easy to give things away but, I admit, it’s harder to find the resources now to give things away.”

Those needed resources are within the ability of many to provide. Even a little bit of food or money contributed to a food pantry will make a difference in the lives of those needing a helping hand.

In Washington, an organization called Washington Helps Its People collects food to hand out to Washington residents in need.

 Director Ken Koch started the organization in 1983. Last year, the food pantry helped about 95 Washington families. Most of the families, he said, receive welfare checks and use the food pantry, which is only open twice a month, as a supplementary source of food.

He said although pantries throughout the area are experiencing shortages, WHIP’s food donations are holding steady, and he expects to give food to about 110 Washington families this year.

“Washington is a very generous community,” Koch said. “Anytime I get low in funds, I put something in the paper and people react.”

With increased donations around the holidays, Koch said the pantry will collect about 60 to 70 percent of its total yearly donations. The food gets put in the food bank and is rationed throughout the year.

Despite not having the same shortage as other food pantries, Koch said the more food donated, the more Washington families will be helped.

To help stock the food pantry, monetary donations can be mailed to 934 Birchwood Drive, Washington, IL 61571, and food donations can be arranged by calling Koch at 444-4692.