Food pantries experience effects of weak economy
SALT LAKE CITY — There is more evidence the United States is in recession. The Labor Department said in its last report that the unemployment rate increased from 6.1 percent to 6.5 percent. This is the highest unemployment rate in 14 years. In Utah, the effects of a languishing economy are evident at the food pantries. Dennis Kelsch, program coordinator for emergency assistance at the Saint Vincent de Paul Center in Salt Lake City, said the number of families looking for food has tripled since last August. "We have received families we’ve never seen before," he said. The increase in the number of people having difficulties to put food on their tables has also been manifested in the food pantry at Saint Therese of the Child Jesus Parish. An average of 40 people visit the pantry in Midvale every Monday and Friday. "I made an archive and I have them here," said Susana Wilson, pantry supervisor. Wilson said she had to create an archive system to prevent people from getting food from the pantry more than once a month because the needy are many. "There are people coming from other places, for example Provo," she said amazed at the distance some are willing to travel to get a box of food. That is not the only thing Wilson has noticed. As the demand for food increases, the quantity the pantry receives is decreasing. "We now get six pallets of food when we used to get 10 to 12," she said about the change she perceived since the end of last year. In spite of the bad economy, "The community has been extremely generous," said Jessica Pugh, the Utah Food Bank’s public relations and events specialist. "Donations have increased seven percent since last year, but the need has increased 30 percent," she said. "We’ve already asked too much from the community," said Kelsch, but "we could use it and we would appreciate it." Kelsch added that the pantry at the St. Vincent de Paul Center has the opportunity to order food from the Food Bank every Monday but "sometimes they’ve had nothing to give us." This is why food-drive donations are so important besides the fact that they offer variety and a way to prepare for a possible increase in demand. The unemployment rate in the state has had little changes since 2007. However, the construction industry has been gravely affected losing more than 13,000 jobs from September 2007 to September 2008. "There is no work. Well, (we have work) once or twice a week," said Efren Morales, construction worker. Morales traveled with his daughter and his sister from Magna to Midvale, and waited for over an hour for his ration of food. "The economy in the valley is not as bad but it is slowly going to trickle down," said Kelsch referring to the effect the recent reports of losses and job cuts of the Ford and General Motors auto companies will have throughout the country. Fortunately, both pantries said they have not had to reduce the amount of food they give to their clients, yet they have made some adaptations. "Sometimes we give them salmon instead of tuna as a source of protein," said Kelsch. Another challenge the St. Vincent Center has encountered is having little space to keep the food. Until the beginning of this year, the center had a pantry where "you could park two trucks," but due to economic difficulties, that space has been used to keep the furniture for the refugee program. The center is now using a 15 foot by 20 foot room. "That’s our biggest problem," said Kelsch. Still, the center managed to make room for over 70 turkeys that will be distributed before Thanksgiving Day. The St. Therese pantry has also started to give out part of the 300 turkeys it will distribute for the celebration. "Everyone is asking for the turkeys," said Wilson. The majority of the clients of both pantries are Latino and during the holidays "(They) feel more sadness. (They) miss their families, their food," she said. "Everyone has the right to a happy day," she added.
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