(The following item appeared in the Charleston Gazette in Oct. 2011.)
West Virginia charity groups are reporting an increase in the number of people seeking assistance.
In the first nine months of this year there was a 6 percent increase in the number of West Virginians who called th statewide 211 hot line.
Local news sources report that the callers are seeking help with food, shelter and utilities. The hot line fields 1,500 to 2,000 calls a month.
If the upward trend continues, about 11,000 more people will have sought help with basic needs in 2011 than 2010.
The United Way of Central West Virginia reports that it has undergone a 146 percent increase in the number of calls it has received in the first nine months of the year.
More people are expected to seek help from our food pantries this winter.
United Food Operation is preparing for its 30th annual winter food distribution program, which will run from January 13 to March 31, 2012.
During this 10-week period United Food Operation will make weekly food distributions to 13 area food pantries in support of their missions to assist needy local families and individuals. The pantries are located across Kanawha and Putnam counties of West Virginia.
Support for United Food Operation comes primarily from voluntary contributions by employees at Charleston, WV-area plants, public utilities, and government facilities. It was originally organized by and continues to receive strong support from local union members in the region.
The group’s board of trustees met with representatives of the participating food pantries on November 17. They announced that the warehouse distribution center would again be supplied free of charge by Bayer Crop Science at the Institute Industrial Park in Institute, WV. Distribution will take place each Saturday morning during the program period.
