This time of year is about giving, and officials at two Bradford food pantries have been the benefactors of bountiful generosity from the community.
“This has two beneficial results, the more obvious being that we have more to give and it helps our pantry dollars go further,” said YWCA Bradford Executive Director Vanessa Castano. “What many may not realize, though, is that all of the gifts of non-perishables we receive also allows us to use those pantry dollars to purchase things we normally cannot, such as animal-based proteins like hamburger and canned tuna fish, creating more well-rounded and nutritious meals for hungry families.”
Typically, the YWCA on West Corydon Street has the same amount of folks getting food from month to month, Castano said. On average, the pantry serves about 120 households every month, she said.
“Actually, the more challenging time of year for stocking the pantry is usually between July and September, as new fiscal years begin and funding dollars aren’t always released right away,” Castano said. “But we try to plan for those realities as best we can.”
At The Salvation Army Bradford Corps on Jackson Avenue, food baskets are given out for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Salvation Army Capt. David L. Means Jr. figures that 150 baskets were given away for both holidays with usually two to three people in each family.
For Thanksgiving, people received such items as green bean casserole, stuffing and a whole turkey. For Christmas, the items included ham, scalloped potatoes and corn.
Meanwhile, the organization operates a food pantry on a regular basis.
“The food pantry is staying stocked,” he said. And contributing to that effort are several individuals who buy extra food at grocery stores and then give the items to the Salvation Army pantry, Means said.
People can use the food pantry once a month, and on average the organization sees about 150 to 200 cases, which includes individuals and families, Means said.
“Again, we are fortunate to have a lot of support from the community in keeping our (YWCA) pantry stocked this time of year. We remain ever thankful for the support we receive,” Castano said.
