The Neighbors Place in Wausau, WI. Image courtesy: WAOW TV
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU-WAOW) – Area food pantries say they’re seeing more people who need help putting food on the table.
“The families that were getting by previous to this year are no longer getting by without our help,” said Amy Bergstrom, executive director of the Community Center of Hope in Mosinee.
More families are turning to the food pantry for the first time this year. “We’ve been serving a lot more families that are in what we would consider a higher income bracket,” Bergstrom said. “They don’t necessarily meet the traditional definitions of being at the poverty level.”
Donna Ambrose with the Neighbors’ Place says there are a number of factors to blame for the increase. “It’s gas prices, it’s the cost of goods, shopping, all of those things add together,” she said. “And the holidays, because despite peoples economic struggles we still want to be able to celebrate, buy gifts for our kids. All of those things add up.”
She says thanks to the community support, they’ve been able to meet the need. “We have a generous community that really steps up, we have a lot of organizations that really help us supplement our food,” she said.
Both pantries encourage those in need to reach out and find out more about what their local pantry has to offer.
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