Food Pantry keeps growing

April 8, 2005

CASEY RESSLER/Frontiersman Valley Life Editor

As the Valley continues to grow, so do some of the "hidden" problems people don't see, such as an increased demand for social services. Volunteers at the Food Pantry of Wasilla, however, are working to make sure nobody goes hungry.

Tucked in the back of the parking lot of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Wasilla, the pantry is open four days a week, handing out food to families for several hours each day. While organizers ask people to come once a month, they aren't about to turn people away if they are hungry.

"We really don't see any abuse of the program. We say, 'If you need food, come,'" said Kathy Webb, a volunteer with the management team. "Most people come three times, and then they're done. We've had people who have come for food end up volunteering for us down the road."

Last October, the Food Pantry of Wasilla got a big boost, as the pantry expanded. The larger facility has allowed the organization to meet the growing demands of a booming population.

"Just like the Valley, we keep on growing, too," Webb said. "Now we've got shelves and places to fill pallets. It's nice to have all that room."

The Food Pantry of Wasilla is a private organization, so it receives no public funding. The success of the organization depends solely on volunteers and donations. Local stores such as Fred Meyer, Bagels Alaska, Carrs, Wal-Mart and Alaska Premium Food Source donate produce and goods that are overstocked or nearing their expiration dates. The organization also uses donated money to purchase food, and it receives a lot of food from the Anchorage Food Bank. Canned food drives also account for a large part of the group's food.

"It is a total community effort," said Alice Holinger, another volunteer.

Three years ago, when the pantry relocated to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, less than 400 families came for food each month. Now, just 36 months later, more than 800 families pass through the doors - in March, the Food Pantry of Wasilla helped 835 families alone.

Keeping up with that demand is a full-time job - but not a paid one. More than 75 volunteers work at the Food Pantry of Wasilla, performing duties ranging from putting together food baskets to driving to Anchorage's food bank.

"We're in our 50s, and we are the young kids," Webb said with a chuckle. "Most of the volunteers are older, and it's like a social get-together for them. It's real satisfying to be helping others. Our volunteers love it."

Jim Brass, a volunteer at the Food Pantry of Wasilla, said sometimes, keeping track is hard to do.

"There's so many volunteers coming and going, and they are part of so many different churches," Brass said. The food pantry is an arm of the Valley Christian Conference, and many volunteers come from the local churches.