(WICHITA, Kan.)—
As charities get ready to help thousands of families this holiday season, they know the need for food is year round. Local pantries usually see an increase of donations around Thanksgiving. Many hope the giving lasts beyond the holidays."We are giving away 600 boxes today," said Holy Savior God's Food Pantry Organizer JoAnne Batiste. "So in two weeks we need 600 more boxes, it just builds and builds and builds."
The line outside Holy Savior's food pantry stretched to the corner. It's something the volunteers see every other Wednesday.
"It looks busier because its pre-Thanksgiving, but its not," Batiste said.
This week every person is getting a frozen chicken, vegetables, toilet paper and a five pound sack of potatoes but cereal supplies are low.
"The Food Bank has not been able to have a lot of that lately, so we have had to buy it retail which is very expensive," Batiste said. "I would say our biggest number one need is cereal, cereal, cereal."
Across town, the shelves at Bread of Life are filling up in preparation for it's Thanksgiving giveaway.
"Last year we did 1,500 families and this year we have had so many more new families come in," said Bread of Life Director Donna Pinaire.
This year, Pinaire says every family will get a turkey thanks to a $12,000 cash donation.
"We don't even know the people who gave it, but we are so grateful," Pinaire said. "And the people will be grateful who get the turkeys."
Food pantries like Bread of Life are always in need of food, since it hands out donations all year long.
"It makes a big, big difference because if it wasn't for them sometimes we couldn't eat," said Victor Carr, who got food at Holy Savior's food pantry.
Charities hope people remember give donations after the holidays when it becomes harder to fill up their food shelves.
