Published: June 28, 2008 06:47 pm      

Food Pantry to hold fundraiser

Walk-a-thon set to raise money, awareness

Beginning this year, the second Saturday each November will be set aside to walk for the hungry in Navarro County, as the Navarro County Food Pantry Ministry holds its first annual Walk-a-thon fundraiser.

The event is set for Saturday, Nov. 8, at Corsicana’s IOOF Park, explained Sue Tyner, who manages the local food pantry ministry. Volunteers and participants are being sought for the event, which will feature a five, 10 and 20 mile walk for those who take part, all focusing on raising funds and awareness for the food pantry’s work.

“We have seen a 50 percent increase in requests for assistance during the first five months of the year,” Tyner said. Keeping pace with that increasing need helped spur the idea for the November event, one Tyner said she hopes will be an annual event.

Tyner thinks higher gasoline prices have contributed to the increased demand on the food pantry, especially among the elderly who have to deal with higher prices on a fixed income.

Supported by donations from organizations and the public, and grants from various charities and trusts, the food pantry ministry has been helping feed about 1,000 people in Navarro County a month in 2008. In 2007, the average month saw 673 individuals being helped by the food pantry, according to figures supplied by Tyner this week.

Donations of food items and monetary contributions are helpful, she explained.

“We can buy food from the North Texas Food Bank for 14 cents a pound,” she said. “If a person donates $10, that pays for 70 pounds of food.” Tyner said the pantry makes a trip to the North Texas Food Bank every two weeks, sharing the cost of fuel for the trip with another similar pantry operation in Kerens.

However, there are food items the pantry typically runs short on that can’t be purchased at the Food Bank. Staple items such as cornbread mix, canned tuna, chili, spaghetti and pasta, macaroni and cheese, potted meat, ramen-style noodles and crackers are always needed donations, Tyner said.

Beginning in July, the Navarro County Food Pantry will change its hours of operation to better serve its clients. The pantry will be open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., and Tuesdays from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Additionally, the pantry will be open the third Saturday of each month from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tyner said the change in hours — adding the Tuesday afternoon and monthly Saturday opening — is an effort to better serve clients who may be unable to visit the pantry during normal hours.

“There are a lot of struggling families out there who work jobs and can’t come during the day, so we added the Tuesday and Saturday hours in an effort to be able to help them, too,” she said.

About 20 volunteers spend time helping at the Food Pantry, including several Honors students who are earning community service credit by helping out, she said, making the pantry a true community effort.

Anyone wishing to donate food items or make a monetary contribution can contact Tyner at (903) 872-9055.

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Bob Belcher may be reached via e-mail at belcher@corsicanadailysun.com