Published: July 17, 2008 09:10 pm            

Poor economy placing new faces among the needy

PRINCETON — It’s a common sight as Christmas approaches. Seniors, single folks and needy families line up at a local church so they can get some food. That’s what could be seen during the last food distribution at the Princeton Church of God.

There was just one problem. It wasn’t Christmas. It was the middle of summer. High gasoline prices and bigger grocery bills are driving people to church food pantries in numbers usually seen only during the holidays.

“We distribute food on the second and last Wednesdays of the month,” said Greg Hall, director of Operation Compassion at the Princeton Church of God. “And last Wednesday we gave out more food than any other Wednesday this year. It’s been our highest number of families in need. Actually, it exceeded Christmas last year. Two hundred families came out for food and assistance. We actually went to Bland, Va. to pick up sweet potatoes in bulk form to give out, and again our supply is low right now.”

Typically Operation Compassion helps low income families, but more classified as middle class are getting in line.

“People who are in need aren’t just below the poverty line,” Hall said. “I’m anticipating that our food distribution on the 30th of this month will be even higher. And we’re just one organization.”

Another local charity is seeing a change in people asking for help. Rightway Ministries in Princeton is seeing more homeless individuals and homeless young families, said Marcie Howard, wife of Pastor Carl Howard, Jr.

“We serve about five counties and we’re seeing more men than women. Young men,” she said. “People released from prison. If you don’t have family or a support system to help you, you go right back because you have no resources.”

Rightway Ministries tries to find jobs for such men, but many businesses will not hire former inmates, Howard said. Then there are people who have jobs, but not enough income for food.

“We have working people and more middle class people.” Howard said. “It’s this gas. It’s doing people in. It used to be that the elderly had to choose between medicine and food. Now add gas to that.”

A Bluefield food pantry was actually seeing fewer numbers of requests, but its director suspects that gasoline is the reason.

“Our numbers have actually decreased,” said Carol Bailey, director of Sacred Heart Catholic Church Food Pantry. “I attribute that to the price of gas. They just don’t have the money to purchase it.”

Just getting to the food pantry is beyond the means of many people. The Sacred Heart pantry once served 350 people a month, but that number has dropped to 250.

“A lot of our folks walk or take the transit bus, but others are too far away to walk and have to drive. If they call, they’ll say they’re trying to get a ride if they can get enough money for a little gas or they’ll come here and say ‘My car’s on empty and I don’t know how I’m going to get home.’”

Sources that regularly supply local food banks are running low on stock, too.

“Wednesday a week ago, food banks where we buy food were so low themselves that we had to go to local stores to buy food to give away,” Hall explained. “Mountaineer Food Bank in Gassoway, they’re running low as well. They have cheese, crackers, gum and toothpaste. People need meat, corn, potatoes.”

Churches try to help members of their congregations when need arises. Princeton Church of God tries to help by extending fixed incomes with food assistance.

“Senior citizens are the hardest hit,” Hall said. “What we hope to do by giving them food is to offset other expenses. Seniors throughout Mercer County are really feeling the pinch.”

Fortunately, the community keeps reaching out to those in need, Hall said. Mercer County food bank services and charities are partnering together to help.

“For me, being a minister, the miracle is that people are just reaching out with donations to help the needy and I just want to say that I feel like God is laying it on people’s hearts to help out, and I just want to say thank you,” Hall said.

— Contact Greg Jordan@gjordan

@bdtonline.com

        

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