HAMILTON, Ohio — Some Butler County food pantries are asking for donations due to an increase in demand after one pantry announced its temporary closing.
Serve City announced Jan. 1 it was temporarily closing. The pantry told our partners at the Journal-News it made the decision in part because of a lack of financial support.
Pastor Felix Russo, who runs New Life Mission, said his food pantry saw almost 80 people the day after Serve City shut down, when it usually sees about 40 a day.
Now, people like Grover Henson are having to go elsewhere to get food.
"Everybody I know went there. (People) with kids and people without kids. They help a lot of people out," he said.
He was at Open Door Food Pantry on Wednesday getting his once-a-month allotment from the pantry.
Michael Reardon, the executive director of Open Door, said it's seeing an increase in people since Serve City closed too. He said while they get a lot of donations, keeping the pantry running is always top of mind.
"We depend on the generosity of the people who support us and frankly a lot of those people are older," he said.
Russo said keeping things running on paper thin margins was already top of mind for him after a 15-20% increase in people coming to his pantry when pandemic-era extra SNAP benefits ended last year.
"Anytime there's an increase we definitely feel it," he said.
Russo said what they need most right now is donations.
Reardon agreed, saying monetary donations are the most helpful, but personal hygiene items are helpful too since people can't buy those with food stamps.
"Toilet paper, shampoo, laundry detergent, that sort of thing," he said.
New Life Mission's food pantry is open weekdays from 10 a.mm to 2 p.m.
Open Door Food Pantry is open Monday through Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
