Local food pantries in need of donations, volunteers

Local food pantries are seeing a sharp increase in need during the current crisis, as more families find themselves in dire straits.

I talked recently with Kelly Daugherty, director of Love Chapel, who said about 20 percent of their clients are new over the past few weeks and their need for food assistance is greater than normal.

The food bank is in need of food donations. They are in especial need of dried goods including pastas, cereal and macaroni and cheese.

The food bank is in need of volunteers to help behind the scenes packing food boxes. Many of the center’s regular volunteers are elderly and have opted not to take part during the virus pandemic.

If you want to donate food you can drop items off at the pantry at 292 Center Street, from 9 to noon Monday through Saturdays. Love Chapel is operated by the Bartholomew County Ecumenical Assembly.

Chelsea Warriner from the Community Center of Hope food bank, said that they are seeing about 50 percent more families as before the crisis.

Warriner said that the food bank sees itself working in conjunction with the Flat Rock-Hawcreek schools lunch program to feed families in need.

The Community Center of Hope is at 534 Washington St. in Hope and it serves residents of Flat Rock and Hawcreek Townships in Bartholomew County.