Lee Erwin reporting
lerwin@clarksvillenow.com
Wednesday, September 18, 2013 7:13 PM
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The Clarksville Salvation Army says its food pantry is just about bare and they are in need of help. The photo above shows just how low supplies are on the shelves and how little the Salvation Army has to work with when it comes to giving to those in need in the community.
Lieutenant Christopher Coulson with the Salvation Army talked about the emergency need for food. “Right now we are very low on food and we’re in the process of trying to get some community support. It’s very difficult just to fill one box with enough food to feed a family so we are in desperate need,” said Coulson.
Coulson said their biggest need right now is non-perishable items like boxes of instant mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese and hamburger helper, those things that can make a meal. Canned goods are also being accepted but main course meals are what is needed for the food supplies going out to families.
“We do about 50 or so boxes every week or two and there’s 25 items in each box. There’s a lot of food that’s needed to make sure this is successful. Here lately we’ve been having to fill a box with odds and ends just to get them something to eat. We’re really hoping that we can get some support from the community,” said Coulson.
Some of the food from the pantry helps to feed those people who use the Salvation Army shelter, but for the most part it is used to fill the food boxes that are given out to the community. Those are the people who come in off the street and don’t have enough money to buy food.
Coulson added that along with donations of food the organization will also accept financial donations that can be used to buy food for the pantry. The Salvation Army will take the money and purchase food from local stores to help resupply the food pantry which is almost empty.
Food donations can be dropped off Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. at the Salvation Army, 210 Kraft Street. Monetary donations can also be made online at www.salvationarmyclarlsville.org.
If your church, business, community group, organization or if you are an individual and would like to support the Salvation Army and help the effort to restock their food pantry, call 931-552-5350.