Elkin High School’s Interact Club, in conjunction with the Elkin Rotary Club, held a lasagna dinner in January at EHS as a fundraiser for Tri-County Christian Ministry, Inc, (Tri-C) and the Feed the Children chapter located in Brazil.

Polly Jean Turrentine Interact president presented Heather Macy, director of Tri-C ministries with a check in the amount of $1,750.

“The need has seen a large increase this year,” Macy said. “There are approximately 4,640 families getting food and nutrition services in Surry County right now. In July of 2000, there were 1,466 families being helped. That is a 216 percent increase. This money will allow us to help more families as they find themselves in an ever increasing position to have to ask for help.”

”We raised just under $3,000 at our dinner,” Ann Ashman with the Rotary Club said. “The money being sent to Brazil will feed 450 school children their daily meal. The Feed the Children organization is an International Children’s project that we are very proud to be a part of.”

Food banks and the concerns to provide

The need for food services is growing across the nation. North Carolina has seen tremendous loss in employment over the past few months with business closings and job layoffs. Surry County’s unemployment rate for January 2009 was above eight percent. Elkin’s loss of Vaughn-Bassett Furniture, Goody’s department store, Tabby’s restaurant, and layoffs at other local businesses has forced many individuals and families to seek help. Elderly people who have been forced to pay a drastic increase per gallon for fuel oil and gasoline are struggling to make it through the month with their social security benefits.

“We have elderly individuals who receive $10, $20, $30 a month in food stamp benefits, but that won’t feed them for an entire month,” Macy said. “When their food supply runs out, they come to us for help. These people need supplemental food, and we try our best to fill the need.”

“We get a lot of our food from the Second Harvest food bank for Northwest North Carolina,” Macy said. “We pay 19 cents per pound for the food purchased there. We usually also pick up the TEFAP, (The Emergency Food Assistance Program) products, which is food assistance that comes from the federal government. Lately there has been very little supply. The state nutrition assistance program hasn’t been available for several months at the food bank.”

“Volunteers donate their time and gas to go to Winston-Salem to pick up our supply of food and bring it back to our facility in Jonesville,” she said. “Without them we would really be struggling to get food here. Families who have lost their savings, parents trying to help grown children financially who have now ran out of money, and families where the grandparents are raising their grandchildren need food and financial assistance.”

Macy spoke of the efforts of the area boy scouts recent donation to the food bank.

“Our coffers were pretty empty until the boy scouts had a food drive that they donated to Tri-C,” Macy said. “Not only did they give us approximately 2,000 pounds of food, they brought it in and organized it on the shelves for us. It’s through efforts like this and the donations of community members who purchase a little extra along with their own groceries that they bring to us that allow us to continue to help those who find themselves in great need. Food Lion donates meat twice a week that goes directly into our freezers and allows families to have meat along with all the non-perishable products we give them. Donations of this type are very helpful, especially to families with small children.”

Tri-C was open 150 days from January through December of 2008 with 2.264 visits for 7,637 people. From this number, 5,741 people received food. The total pounds of food distributed throughout 2008 from Tri-C were 106,762.

Recently, a grandmother was forced to ask for help, whereas she had always had the means to provide for her family. Raising her grandchildren and trying to keep up with the power and heating cost, was more than her monthly resources. When she came to the food bank for help, the only thing she asked was if they could have something other than green beans, because canned green beans had been their complete meal for the previous two weeks.

Tri-C ministries try to provide families with items that are familiar to them. The volunteers ask clients if there are any types of foods that they do not eat, replacing them with items they do eat. If clients receive non-perishable items that they will not use, they can return them and switch out for items they will. The food bank also has a small variety of toiletries, such as toothpaste and deodorants, and they can provide families with small children diapers.

“We are very appreciative of any items donated to the food bank,” Macy said. “But, we do ask that the donated canned items not be the commercial size that a school cafeteria or restaurant would use. Most families cannot use the entire product at one sitting, and often do not have the means to keep the food in safe conditions for a future meal. Regular sized cans of fruits and vegetables allow us to meet the needs of more families.”

Tri-C ministries help families in Surry, Yadkin, and Wilkes counties. Residents needing help need to call the ministry office for open hours and appointments, along with obtaining the information needed for applying for help.

Foothills Food Pantry is located at 322 Cooper Street in Dobson, (336)386-8405, and is open Monday nights from 6 – 7:30 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Requirements to register with the food banks in Surry County include the following:

At every visit, clients must bring a picture identification, a social security card for each member of your household, and proof of income. Income proof can be either your last check stub, Social Security/SSI proof of amount drawing for the current year, a copy of the Social Security/SSI check or a bank statement showing amount if directly deposited.

If a resident is unemployed, they will need proof of actively seeking employment, i.e. registered with the Unemployment office, or proof of registry with a job search company, or a doctor’s statement that they are unable to work due to a medical condition, or proof of filing for disability.

Residents will also be required to bring proof of all household bills which include rent, lot rent, mortgage, power bill, telephone, car payment, insurance, medications/prescriptions and any unusual receipts for emergency items such as repair bills for an automobile, furnace, and other things.

Second Harvest food bank

Second Harvest food bank of Northwest North Carolina is a member of Feeding America. It is the major distributor of donated food and grocery products in the region. The food bank serves 18 counties and distributes to 400 non-profit organizations that feed thousands of people throughout the area. Second Harvest food bank is a member of the United Way of Forsyth County.

Feeding America is the largest charitable domestic hunger-relief organization in the United States. They annually provide assistance to more than 25 million people, which include over 9 million children and approximately 3 million senior citizens.

Understanding how other food assistance programs work

Food Stamps is a federal food assistance program that provides support to low-income working families, children, seniors and other needy Americans.

Households must meet eligibility requirements and provide information and verification about their household circumstances.

“There are myths and facts about food stamp program that individuals don’t understand,” Macy said. “If residents take the time to call or visit the food stamp department, they often find that they qualify for further assistance.”

Four common food stamp myths

“The food stamp program is a welfare program,” truth: The food stamp program is a nutrition assistance program designed to help individuals and families buy nutritious food when money’s tight.

“Some people receive only $10 a month in food stamps,” truth: While some receive $10, the average monthly food stamp benefit per person in 2006 was per individual.

“You cannot get food stamp benefits if you have a job,” truth: Individuals may work and still have income low enough to receive food stamp benefits. One-fourth of recipients have income earnings.

“Other people need food stamps more than I do,” truth: By receiving food stamp benefits, you are not taking benefits away from another person. Everyone who applies and is determined to be eligible by the state/local eligibility worker will get food stamp benefits.

Most recipients are eligible to receive an automatic Low Income Energy Assistance Program, (LIEAP) check during February of each year. Most recipients are also eligible for the Link-Up program, which provides low-income persons a discount toward the cost of hooking up local telephone service. Most recipients are also eligible to receive food distribution through the Commodity program if offered in your county of residence.

Recipients are eligible for the “Free Lunch” program at area schools and the summer feeding programs if available.

Interested individuals should contact their local Social Services department to receive information on the times and dates that the food stamp program is accepting applications.