Christian Food Pantry aids people who fall on hard times, struggles to keep shelves full
LADY LAKE — Cheryl Hershberger knows from experience that summer will be the Christian Food Pantry’s busiest time of the year, when children are not in school to receive their meals.
“We always have a hard time keeping enough food stocked in the pantry during the summer months,” said Hershberger, a Spruce Creek South resident who serves as the volunteer director for the pantry.
“Our storage areas are going down very fast and we’re scrambling,” she said. “In two weeks, we’ll be scraping the bottom of the barrel and we really need the help.”
The food pantry serves residents of Lady Lake, The Villages, Summerfield south of County Road 42 and east of U.S. Highway 301, and Weirsdale west of the Ocklawaha River.
Among the people who visit the pantry at 103 E. Lady Lake Blvd. are about 10 families in The Villages who struggle to make ends meet on fixed incomes, Hershberger said, as well as large families with children.
“They are having a hard time with everything,” Hershberger said. “And it’s not just the rising cost of gasoline; everything is more expensive.”
She believes the demand for the pantry’s services, unfortunately, will only increase.
“We serve about 150 families a month, but we expect it to increase to 200 families or more,” Hershberger said. “Two hundred families is a lot of people. We have families of one and two, and families of nine to 11, so we go through food very quickly.”
The food pantry provides two bags of groceries for a small family, three bags for a medium family, and four or five bags for a large family — about five days of meals.
“It’s really just meant to tide them through,” Hershberger said. “Most of our people get welfare of some sort or food stamps, and if they don’t, we are encouraging them to do that. We are also encouraging them to get jobs and help themselves, because that’s the key.”
Each family receives certain staple items from the food pantry, in addition to a few items the family selects.
Hershberger added, “We also are giving them a pound of ground beef, some hot dogs, hot dog buns and bread when we have it, and eggs. We provide those (perishables) with the cash donations we receive.”
Hershberger strives to be a good steward with the cash donations the pantry receives, shopping at grocery stores with the best prices.
“I can feel a difference with the rising costs,” Hershberger said. “Yet, I’m very careful about where I buy it and how much it costs.”
The Christian Food Pantry receives the bulk of its nonperishable food during the Christmas season, during the Holiday Harvest Food Drive hosted in The Villages, and the annual drive by the Boy Scouts, Hershberger said. A few churches and organizations provide food on a regular basis, too.
Hershberger is appreciative of each and every donation.
“During the holiday season when we get most of our food donations, we store it,” she said. “Yet, by this time of the year, it’s dwindling quickly, and it’s almost gone.”
Hershberger remains optimistic.
She has faith that Villagers and area residents will come to the rescue and help fill the pantry’s shelves.
“I’m not worried, because the people here always give,” Hershberger said with a gentle smile. “They’ll step up and they’ll do what needs to be done, once they know that we have a need.”
Peanut butter, boxes of macaroni and cheese, and canned fruits and vegetables are among nonperishables that quickly disappear from the shelves.
“We are in need of everything,” Hershberger said. “Basically, we can use cans of beef stew, corned beef hash, chicken and dumplings, canned pasta, miscellaneous beans, spaghetti sauce, canned meats, macaroni and cheese, canned potatoes, boxed meals, peanut butter, canned fruit and toilet paper. Those are our basic needs.”
“I also could use some summer volunteers, and I need them desperately,” Hershberger said, “because a lot of our snowbirds leave and then a lot of people go on vacation, and they are just not available.”
Those interested in volunteering may call Hershberger at 874-8027.
She also would love to hear from volunteers who are capable of lifting 20 to 25 pounds.
“I can really use them, because in the summer a lot of things have to be moved,” she said. “I can’t do it alone and I need the help.”
Nancy Van Gorden of the Village of Santo Domingo is among the pantry’s volunteers. She has been serving for two years, stocking shelves and helping clients every Tuesday.
“I get a lot of satisfaction out of helping people,” Van Gorden said. “This is very worthy service, and the food pantry is always in need of donations for food. There are a lot of needy people in the surrounding area.”
Hershberger wants to see the food pantry grow to be able to provide families in need with more food.
“We’re going to step this up,” she said. “We’re going to give them more food, and we’re going to work in conjunction with Love Inc., and we’re going to work on this community and get it in better shape.”
Hershberger said Love Inc. is an organization of churches committed to working together to provide more services and more funds to help people through hard times.
In the meantime, Hershberger is hopeful more residents, clubs and churches will come through with food donations for the pantry.
“The need is always there,” Hershberger said, “and there are always people looking for ways to help the community. This is how you can help.”
Theresa Campbell is a senior features writer with the Daily Sun. She can be reached at 753-1119, ext. 9260, or theresa.campbell@thevillagesmedia.com.
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