Working families in Burke County turn to food pantries as living costs soar

Inflation is not only pressuring private sector employees in Burke County. The rising cost of groceries is also hitting the public sector, forcing some workers to turn to local food distribution networks for assistance.

Cost-of-living expenses are challenging residents — even those employed by municipalities and governmental organizations — to put food on the table.

For example, Broughton Hospital management has created a food pantry for employees in one of their kitchens. Employees can take what they need or leave behind items for other coworkers. Their initiative is to support one another by giving a helping hand.

Local food pantries are experiencing higher demand and need more donations and a larger contingent of volunteers.

The following is compiled from interviews with volunteers in local food pantries.

VOLUNTEER’S EXPERIENCE

Valdese resident and food distribution volunteer Tamika Garrison is no stranger to the issue of food insecurity and has spoken publicly.

Garrison came before the Valdese Town Council in June to advocate for the 5% cost of living raise that received spirited debate amongst the council members during the budgeting process. Her husband, Alexander, works as a Water Treatment Plant Operator for the Town of Valdese, and their family struggles to make ends meet. She knows their situation isn’t unique.

She told those in attendance that she witnessed 20 town employees at two food drives — Abernathy Memorial UMC and First Baptist Church in Valdese.

When asked about the uptick in people coming to the pantry, Garrison said more people have been coming, and some are those who may have never needed these local resources until now.

“More people are receiving food services and so many other things are rising up in cost,” Garrison said.

Her concern is that these local resources are not meant to be a long-term benefit.

“There are other problems upstream from that. It all boils down to the economy,” Garrison said.

To face these issues, community members, the youth, and local organizations will need to come together, she concluded.

MORE FAMILIES IN NEED

Volunteer and grant writer Linda Schmickle of Glen Alpine Food Pantry knows this all too well. With the absence of a director, she has been filling in until they find a permanent replacement.

Pantry volunteers load boxes of dried/canned goods, produce, and other items into the cars of families. Volunteers are required to ask about the household size and the amount they make per year. Some families could qualify for additional boxes depending on their size.

For comparison, 314 families visited the pantry in May 2023. This year, 460 families have needed its services. Nearly 1,400 boxes and more than 26,016 pounds of food were distributed last month.

When asked about her thoughts on the increased need, she pointed to the general increase in everything: gas is high, and groceries are a total of $200 versus $100. She also noted that unexpected expenses like medical issues or car repairs can lead families to the pantry.

Schmickle said that people who utilize the pantries are truly in need. Otherwise, these individuals wouldn’t come due to the stigma of receiving help.

At Wright’s Food Pantry at Abernethy Memorial UMC in Rutherford College, volunteer Joan Benfield said that their pantry sees mostly elderly individuals and families with children.  “Numbers have been gradually growing since the Outreach Center has closed and we have increased our area of accepting families,” Benfield said. “There is a need, but the cost of living has improved.”

ASKING FOR HELP

These local pantries are here to help, but to continue their work, more helping hands and donations are being asked of the community.

At Glen Alpine, volunteers are spread throughout the operations from shopping, transportation, packers and sorters, food distribution, and more. Many of the volunteers are of retirement age, which causes difficulty with lifting and distributing dozens of boxes during their drive.

Additionally, the volunteers have to disperse donated food items throughout the boxes since donations only go so far. Schmickle said that boxes that used to be 35 pounds have dwindled to 20 pounds.

In Rutherford College, Benfield and other volunteers run only on donations and do not use any church money. Much like the Glen Alpine pantry, a majority of the volunteers are seniors and retirees.

The church’s pantry receives support from local school groups, such as the Draughn High School baseball team who will volunteer to help, and the annual Buke County Public Schools Souper Bowl drive that gave 45,050 pounds of food to local food pantries in 2023.

Speaking on behalf of the pantry, Benfield said it means a lot to them to have that support so they can continue to “alleviate stress by sharing our food.” She appreciates the donations they receive and the volunteers of all levels who keep the pantry going.

Saydie Bean is a general assignment reporter for The Paper. She may be reached at 828-445-8595, ext. 2011, or saydie@thepaper.media.