The Bethlehem Food Pantry has been lending a helping hand to the town’s needy families since 1982, but following a recession and facing rising food costs, staff members say pantry need has increased but storage space has not.
A joint program between Bethlehem Senior Projects and the town’s Department of Senior Service, those who run the food pantry are now thinking of ways to expand. According to Senior Services Director Joyce Becker, about 1,800 people used the pantry last year and demand has tripled since 2009.
“We’re looking for someplace where we have more room,” she said. “Right now, we are just jammed. We do a lot with very little space.”
For the past 20 years, all of the food either donated or purchased by Bethlehem Senior Projects through the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York has been stored in Town Hall. Most of the food is kept hidden behind the stage curtain of the main meeting hall, but the space is also shared with a local orchestra. A small room to the left contains additional food storage, but wheelchairs, walker, and crutches are stored there as well for another Bethlehem Senior Projects program.
Jane Sanders, the town’s senior social worker, said 55 to 60 families visit the pantry each week, a great increase from several years ago. Then, only about 30 families each week were in need. Sanders said about 20 percent of visitors are seniors living off of their Social Security payments. The rest are families who need help because a member of the family has been laid off or is now on disability.
“Gas, utilities, the price of food, everything has gone up except income,” she said. “Some people may come in once a month until they get on their feet, and there are others who have used it for years. There are some who are working full time, but minimum wage doesn’t get them very far.”
Becker said families in need are first paired with a social worker before they visit the pantry to find them additional help.
“Many people have no idea what is out there for them,” she said.
Becker said one of the main problems for Bethlehem residents who find themselves unemployed is they are overqualified for many entry-level positions.
“We’re seeing more people go back into the workforce after being trained to do something entirely different, but in the short term they need some help.”
The food pantry has about eight regular volunteers who help throughout the year. Sanders said the largest food drives held by local Boy Scouts, the Post Office and the library keep the pantry stocked throughout the summer and into the fall. After that, there is a delivery every two weeks of purchases from the Regional Food Bank.
All of the food is then sorted and stacked into cabinets. The town food pantry doesn’t have refrigeration, so only nonperishable items can be accepted. For some people in emergency situations, Bethlehem Senior Projects will provide supermarket gift cards.
“We encourage people to get their boxed or nonperishable food from us so they can save their money for fresh produce,” said Sanders. “We try to give a couple weeks worth of meals depending on size of family, but they shouldn’t just be eating what we have to give. People can’t live on that.”
Cosmetics, cleaning products and toiletries are also accepted. “We like to be able to have a small variety of toiletries available because they are items that cannot be purchased with food stamps,” Sanders said.
She said there is no additional space available within Town Hall. Indeed, town leaders last year bemoaned the lack of space when embarking on a project that, among other things, saw conference rooms split up to create additional offices.
Partly because of that lack of space, Sanders said privacy is an issue for some.
It can be uncomfortable for people to use the pantry since it is such a public location, she said. When people visit, white screens are placed in front of the stage for privacy but they can often be seen when entering or leaving the area. Sanders said when the room is in use for a meeting or program, people using the pantry are led in through the back.
Finding a new location has not been easy. Becker said they have been looking for about two years. The space needs to be bigger, within a short distance from the Town Hall and nearly rent-free.
“At this point we are just looking for ideas,” she said. “If some local churches could help, that would be great.”
Sanders agreed, adding it would be great if a partnership could be formed. Venture Churches already have an established food pantry at the First Reformed Church of Bethlehem in Selkirk. Sanders said it is bigger and has refrigeration.
“We need a place (or places) where we can grow,” she said.
Bethlehem Food Pantry drop-off locations are at the Bethlehem Town Hall, the Bethlehem YMCA, the Delmar Marketplace and the Bethlehem Public Library. Items needed include canned tuna fish, canned chicken, pasta sauces and peanut butter. Monetary donations are also appreciated.
For more information on how to volunteer, donate, or use the pantry call 439-4955 ext. 1176.
A joint program between Bethlehem Senior Projects and the town’s Department of Senior Service, those who run the food pantry are now thinking of ways to expand. According to Senior Services Director Joyce Becker, about 1,800 people used the pantry last year and demand has tripled since 2009.
“We’re looking for someplace where we have more room,” she said. “Right now, we are just jammed. We do a lot with very little space.”
For the past 20 years, all of the food either donated or purchased by Bethlehem Senior Projects through the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York has been stored in Town Hall. Most of the food is kept hidden behind the stage curtain of the main meeting hall, but the space is also shared with a local orchestra. A small room to the left contains additional food storage, but wheelchairs, walker, and crutches are stored there as well for another Bethlehem Senior Projects program.
Jane Sanders, the town’s senior social worker, said 55 to 60 families visit the pantry each week, a great increase from several years ago. Then, only about 30 families each week were in need. Sanders said about 20 percent of visitors are seniors living off of their Social Security payments. The rest are families who need help because a member of the family has been laid off or is now on disability.
“Gas, utilities, the price of food, everything has gone up except income,” she said. “Some people may come in once a month until they get on their feet, and there are others who have used it for years. There are some who are working full time, but minimum wage doesn’t get them very far.”
Becker said families in need are first paired with a social worker before they visit the pantry to find them additional help.
“Many people have no idea what is out there for them,” she said.
Becker said one of the main problems for Bethlehem residents who find themselves unemployed is they are overqualified for many entry-level positions.
“We’re seeing more people go back into the workforce after being trained to do something entirely different, but in the short term they need some help.”
The food pantry has about eight regular volunteers who help throughout the year. Sanders said the largest food drives held by local Boy Scouts, the Post Office and the library keep the pantry stocked throughout the summer and into the fall. After that, there is a delivery every two weeks of purchases from the Regional Food Bank.
All of the food is then sorted and stacked into cabinets. The town food pantry doesn’t have refrigeration, so only nonperishable items can be accepted. For some people in emergency situations, Bethlehem Senior Projects will provide supermarket gift cards.
“We encourage people to get their boxed or nonperishable food from us so they can save their money for fresh produce,” said Sanders. “We try to give a couple weeks worth of meals depending on size of family, but they shouldn’t just be eating what we have to give. People can’t live on that.”
Cosmetics, cleaning products and toiletries are also accepted. “We like to be able to have a small variety of toiletries available because they are items that cannot be purchased with food stamps,” Sanders said.
She said there is no additional space available within Town Hall. Indeed, town leaders last year bemoaned the lack of space when embarking on a project that, among other things, saw conference rooms split up to create additional offices.
Partly because of that lack of space, Sanders said privacy is an issue for some.
It can be uncomfortable for people to use the pantry since it is such a public location, she said. When people visit, white screens are placed in front of the stage for privacy but they can often be seen when entering or leaving the area. Sanders said when the room is in use for a meeting or program, people using the pantry are led in through the back.
Finding a new location has not been easy. Becker said they have been looking for about two years. The space needs to be bigger, within a short distance from the Town Hall and nearly rent-free.
“At this point we are just looking for ideas,” she said. “If some local churches could help, that would be great.”
Sanders agreed, adding it would be great if a partnership could be formed. Venture Churches already have an established food pantry at the First Reformed Church of Bethlehem in Selkirk. Sanders said it is bigger and has refrigeration.
“We need a place (or places) where we can grow,” she said.
Bethlehem Food Pantry drop-off locations are at the Bethlehem Town Hall, the Bethlehem YMCA, the Delmar Marketplace and the Bethlehem Public Library. Items needed include canned tuna fish, canned chicken, pasta sauces and peanut butter. Monetary donations are also appreciated.
For more information on how to volunteer, donate, or use the pantry call 439-4955 ext. 1176.
