Breaking the (food) bank
<p>Volunteer Billie Flannery places boxes of cereal into emergency boxes, which are designed to feed a family of four or five individuals, at the Community Action Partnership food bank Wedneday. Families or individuals can receive an emergency box three times a year and the food bank gives out around 100 emergency boxes per day, a rate which exhausts a room full of government and donated food within a few days. The Community Action Partnership is running low on food items, is seeking donations from the community.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - Keeping low-income families and individuals fed has become increasingly difficult for area food banks.
Carolyn Shewfelt, manager of the Community Action Partnership food bank in Coeur d'Alene, said donations have slacked, and the number of people seeking help is increasing.
"Our emergency food boxes should average about 40 pounds going out the door. They've been averaging 28 pounds since last fall," Shewfelt said.
There is also increased demand because people are receiving less food stamp assistance this year.
"The cut on food stamps has affected food banks across the board," Shewfelt said.
Federal food assistance benefits were reduced on Nov. 1. The cut was really the end of a temporary increase put in place with stimulus dollars in 2009, when recession-era layoffs were taking a toll on family incomes. Congress allowed that extra assistance to expire. For a family of four, the cut has been about $36 a month.
Shewfelt said that means those who qualify are returning to the food bank more often for help. To receive help, a family's income must be at 133 percent of the federal poverty level, which is $23,550 for a family of four.
And there are more people seeking assistance, she said.
Last month, 112 more families asked for help at the Coeur d'Alene food bank than in February 2013.
"The Post Falls Food Bank is in the same boat," Shewfelt said.
Several grocers in the area are offering shoppers convenient ways to donate.
Shewfelt said Natural Grocers, the new store at 222 W. Neider Ave. in Coeur d'Alene, will donate 5 cents if shoppers bring their own bags.
"That doesn't seem like much, but it adds up," she said.
Super 1 Foods, a longtime food bank supporter, offers shoppers at its locations pre-filled bags to purchase and leave at the store. The food banks will pick them up.
Albertsons is also offering ways for shoppers to help, Shewfelt said.
For additional information, contact:
* Community Action Partnership Food Bank, 4144 W. Industrial Loop, Coeur d'Alene, (208) 664-8757.
* Post Falls Food Bank, 415 E. Third Ave., Post Falls. (208) 773-0139 or www.postfallsfoodbank.org.