Food For Thought

Sherrie Banasik of Avon Park smiled broadly as she loaded food in her car outside a pantry on Wednesday.

The gift of several boxes of food that staffers helped her carry to the car was due to the benevolence of the Avon Park Church Service Center, Inc., in association with the Ministerial Association of Avon Park.

Banasik said her two grandchildren - 3 years and 8 months old - would especially enjoy the fresh fruit and vegetables supplied by the pantry.

The grandmother said the gift of food, including pies and other baked goods, would likely hold the family over until she received her monthly allotment of $90 in food stamps.

"I can't believe they did all this," said Banasik. "I wish I knew how I could somehow repay. I've volunteered to help out. It's a caring, loving group."

Taking It For Granted

We take it for granted. You get hungry - you eat. We either hit the supermarket or ask waitstaff to bring us supper.

Occasionally we might flinch when our dining guest orders surf and turf - the most expensive item on the menu - but for the most part, eating is simply a necessity.

Not everyone in Highlands County can afford even the most basic of meals.

The good news is that for the hungry, there are seven food pantries, and several other places in Highlands County that service low income residents with free food.

Who Needs the Help?

Thelma Becker, of Manna Ministries in Lake Placid, runs a food pantry that serves about 300 families each month.

She said that many of her clients are single moms and families with children. Becker estimated that a third are low income seniors.

Bill Stephenson, executive director the Church Service Center in Avon Park, said in 2006, 6,465 families received food, with 1,223 in just December.

In 2006, the Avon Park pantry gave away almost 200,000 pounds of food. On Tuesday, the center served 44 families during a four-hour shift.

The center does it all with no outside sources of funding and all food is free. During Stephenson's four-year tenure, the annual budget of the church service center jumped from $40,000 to $100,000 a year. Seventeen churches in Avon Park pick up the tab.

Predictions On the Future

As baby boomers mature and retire to the Sunshine State, Stephenson foresees an increase of 10,000 working poor employed in service businesses.

"Many are not paid like you and I expect people to be paid," said Stephenson. "The people I see are making $6.50 per hour, working 27 hours a week, with no benefits."

The pantry director said businesses often skirt paying employee health insurance benefits by scheduling workers for part-time shifts.

"Nobody else is helping," said Stephenson. "The state is cutting back. The federal government is cutting back. They're cutting for people who need it the most.

"We're not helping. We need to do more."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is famous for it's block of cheese give-a-ways but changes are affecting the hungry. The Salvation Army is working to get the USDA commodities contract to serve about 700 patrons per month since the county has relinquished the task.

"This is a very giving community," said Pam Krafp, a local Salvation Army case worker.

"The Salvation Army, with the help of our generous community, will do all we can to see that no family or person will go hungry," said Mary Homes, Salvation Army captain. "In the past, the community has been very generous with donations through the annual postal food drive and holiday food drives."

Cahill Ministries Food Bank in Lakeland distributes USDA commodities to the local pantries. Rev. Linda Cahill said the barometer for neediness depends on the economy and there are many people who help share the load.

"There are more organizations showing up all the time," said Cahill. "Although there are still a lot of needy people out there.

"America has plenty of food," said Cahill. "Nobody in Central Florida should go hungry."

Becker, of Manna in Lake Placid, supplies 50 to 75 pounds of staples and perishables per month to each family. Recipients are screened for need and about $1,000 per month income is the threshold to receive, although the income level can vary depending on the number of children involved.

"They make money, but they don't make enough," said Becker.

Forty volunteers work to supply food and other necessities for Manna.

"It's amazing," said Becker. "God supports our needy. A certain amount of joy comes from giving food away. It's such a wonderful job. (The volunteers) do it because they really feel good about helping people."

Procuring That Last Crumb

Stephenson referred to himself as a former "bold, brazen salesman." Working for commissions, he learned how to sell.

To benefit the food pantry he uses those talents to acquire day-old bread and pastries from supermarkets. Every dollar is stretched to the limit and some months the organization runs in the red and other months in the black.

"I love everybody who comes through the door, but I have to be a good steward with the money that churches give me," said Stephenson.

The pantry director especially loves children, who he said are "without any blame." He enjoys giving away peanut butter and jelly or day-old pastries. He said kids can't tell the difference.

Stephenson is an advocate for education and bemoaned the fact that some unfortunate residents are willing to work hard and aren't able to find adequate jobs.

After a mother left the pantry, Stephenson talked about a 3-year-old boy at home, likely waiting for his mother to show with food from the pantry.

"That 3-year-old kid she's got at home - it isn't his fault that his mother made a bad decision years ago," said Stephenson.