MONROE - In this shaky economy, most area food pantries are managing to keep their shelves stocked, but the need is still great and they could use more help.
Both Calli Harrison, assistant manager at St. Vincent DePaul in Monroe, and April Little, village administrator of Belleville, say they have seen an increase in the number of clients coming to their food pantries in recent months.
"It was pretty steady through the summer, but we saw an increase starting last month," Harrison said.
Little said Belleville's food pantry helps between 86 to 134 households a month.
"In August we saw a big bump. We had 134 households that included 213 adults and 175 children," she said.
St. Vincent DePaul Mobile Food Pantry was getting an average of about 140 people a month, but last month that number rose to about 175.
Marlys Hitterdorf, a volunteer at the Pecatonica Food Pantry in Blanchardville, also saw the need increasing in late summer.
"We are doing all we can to keep up with the needs, but we have enough to keep it going," she said.
Many food pantries receive help from the government and large charities. But all, including those in this area, rely heavily on local community donations to meet demands.
Little said Belleville's pantry wouldn't make it without help from Dane County. And St. Vincent DePaul receives help in the form of food donations from Second Harvest and Catholic Charities.
"Last week, we were pretty bare, until the USDA and Second Harvest came in," said a volunteer, who asked not to be identified, at Green Cares Food Pantry near Monticello.
Food pantry officials said community donations are coming in steadily, however.
"Our food supply is good, and we've had good donations," said Ruth Brobst from Brodhead White Gift Food Pantry.
A recent White Gift Sunday brought in a good amount of supplies, she said.
Little said Belleville has had a "rash of people donating" recently, but the loss of donations usually brought in by the local post office during a city-wide food drive this spring hurt.
"At times, the supply gets quite low," she added.
Maynard Heins from Green County Food Pantry in Monroe said the pantry is well-stocked, thanks to many recent donations from area school and Scout organizations.
Still, some food items and personal care items seem to be forgotten in the donations to food pantries.
"(Canned) fruits and cereal seem to go off the shelves quickly," said Hitterdorf, "and people seem to forget to donate those."
Personal care products, paper products and household cleaners are sometimes available at pantries. Such items are supplied only by private donations to the pantries; government food programs and food charities do not help in that respect.
"Toilet paper is a big item for us; people like to get that," said one pantry's volunteer. "You never stop to think about toilet paper, until you're strapped for cash."
Both Calli Harrison, assistant manager at St. Vincent DePaul in Monroe, and April Little, village administrator of Belleville, say they have seen an increase in the number of clients coming to their food pantries in recent months.
"It was pretty steady through the summer, but we saw an increase starting last month," Harrison said.
Little said Belleville's food pantry helps between 86 to 134 households a month.
"In August we saw a big bump. We had 134 households that included 213 adults and 175 children," she said.
St. Vincent DePaul Mobile Food Pantry was getting an average of about 140 people a month, but last month that number rose to about 175.
Marlys Hitterdorf, a volunteer at the Pecatonica Food Pantry in Blanchardville, also saw the need increasing in late summer.
"We are doing all we can to keep up with the needs, but we have enough to keep it going," she said.
Many food pantries receive help from the government and large charities. But all, including those in this area, rely heavily on local community donations to meet demands.
Little said Belleville's pantry wouldn't make it without help from Dane County. And St. Vincent DePaul receives help in the form of food donations from Second Harvest and Catholic Charities.
"Last week, we were pretty bare, until the USDA and Second Harvest came in," said a volunteer, who asked not to be identified, at Green Cares Food Pantry near Monticello.
Food pantry officials said community donations are coming in steadily, however.
"Our food supply is good, and we've had good donations," said Ruth Brobst from Brodhead White Gift Food Pantry.
A recent White Gift Sunday brought in a good amount of supplies, she said.
Little said Belleville has had a "rash of people donating" recently, but the loss of donations usually brought in by the local post office during a city-wide food drive this spring hurt.
"At times, the supply gets quite low," she added.
Maynard Heins from Green County Food Pantry in Monroe said the pantry is well-stocked, thanks to many recent donations from area school and Scout organizations.
Still, some food items and personal care items seem to be forgotten in the donations to food pantries.
"(Canned) fruits and cereal seem to go off the shelves quickly," said Hitterdorf, "and people seem to forget to donate those."
Personal care products, paper products and household cleaners are sometimes available at pantries. Such items are supplied only by private donations to the pantries; government food programs and food charities do not help in that respect.
"Toilet paper is a big item for us; people like to get that," said one pantry's volunteer. "You never stop to think about toilet paper, until you're strapped for cash."