By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Higher food costs as well as other essentials, such as gas, are driving more people to use area food banks.
Theresa Hill, director of the Community Assistance Center food bank, said she has seen a significant increase in demand for food.
"I just spent $700 last month at Walmart. ... It's already gone," she said. "We have hardly anything in here. Our next food drive won't be until October.
"Just bring in food," she said. "We need it bad."
Hill said food costs are so high that even families who receive food stamps can't get all the food they need, so they come to the food bank.
Hill said she thought the increase in food needs was based on rising food costs due to inflation. Inflation on food had surged 10.9 percent as of July.
During the pandemic, Hill said the food pantry saw a decrease in demand. She said she thought families were making ends meet with the help of stimulus checks.
Linda Mills, director of First Call for Help, also lamented that her agency's food pantry shelves were almost empty.
First Call for Help operates a smaller pantry and did receive a donation of spaghetti sauce and hamburger in addition to other canned goods from two local churches after putting out a call for assistance online and it the agency's newsletter.
"Anybody who has been to the grocery store knows its gone up quite a bit," she said.
Families are being hit by a variety of factors, Mills said. Families with children in school are also dealing with back-to-school expenses right now.
"I think it's the price of gas, the price of food and August just being a really hard month for families," Mills said.
For the last two years, all students were provided free meals at school through a U.S. Department of Agriculture program. Although free and reduced-cost lunches are still available, Mills said families are having to adjust to paying those meal expenses again.
Renee Michaud, St. Joseph Food Pantry coordinator, said she is just now seeing an increase in demand for food.
So far, Michaud said the pantry has been able to keep up with the need, but the pantry always accepts donations.
The Ellis Food pantry has also seen an increase in food requests. The demand for food rose steadily in 2022, hitting a peak in April. During the summer, the demand dipped slightly, said Althea Cross, coordinator.
In April, the pantry served 178 people in 76 homes. The pantry serves families within the Ellis USD 388 school district.
Cross said the pantry always welcomes donations, but pantry has been well stocked from the Kansas Food Bank.
Brandon Nimz, who coordinates food commodity distributions in Hays, said he had seen a recent decrease in demand for commodities. Recipients must show proof of income to receive the commodities.
However, Nimz's Unite Ministries also offers a free store food pantry at the Gamers Guild that allows people to leave or take food as they need with no questions asked. That small pantry was almost empty.
"Whenever food comes in, it disappears pretty fast," Nimz said. "I think it depends on the nature of it. If people have to show proof of income or feel like its formal or governmental ...
"I don't think people are pushed to the point of needing that type of assistance yet. I do think it's getting a little tighter out there because of the uptick in easy-access food."
A line of people was waiting for commodities at the most recent distribution on Friday. Joy Springer, commodities recipient, said increasing prices of food and other goods was making it more difficult to make ends meet.
Nimz said there also may be working poor who may be making too much to qualify for commodities, but not enough to make ends meet financially.
Mills said the food pantries were an essential resource in Ellis County.
"The thought of going hungry, for me anyway, doesn't sound very pleasant. I know we can always, as middle income, tighten our belts, but if you are low income or extremely low income, there's no place else you can cut."
Even those who are low income and working are stretched very thin with the increased cost, Mills said.
"It comes down to decisions whether they buy gas or buy food, pay their electric bill or fill their car up with gas so they can go back and forth to work. It's a hardship if you are earning a low income," Mills said.
Mills urged donations for the pantry.
"We wouldn't ask for it if we didn't need it," she said.
Below is a list of the major food charities in Ellis County. A new website — www.kansasfoodsource.org — is also designed to help people in need of food assistance find pantry locations in their areas, including smaller pantries in Ellis County.
How to get food
Community Assistance Center, 1108 Oak, 785-625-9110
To qualify
• Proof of residence required (lease or Midwest Energy or water bill)
• Proof of household income
• If you have children, the school enrollment form
When is food available?
8:30 to 1 p.m. Mondays through Fridays
First Call for Help, 607 E. 13th, 785-623-2800
To qualify
• No income qualifications
• Must be from Ellis County. Will serve homeless.
• Can receive food once a month
When is food available?
8 to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays
Ellis Food Pantry
Call Ellis Alliance for food distribution dates at 785-726-2660.
Must live in the Ellis USD 388. Food is distributed once a month. No proof of income is required. If someone has an emergency need for food, they can call and leave a message for the food bank with the Alliance.
St. Joseph Food Pantry, 215 W. 13th, 785-625-7356
Do not need to meet income guidelines
Serves anyone who lives in Ellis County
When is food available?
Open the first and third Saturdays
Commodities, The Gamers Guild, 200 E. Eighth, 785-259-2539
Must meet income guidelines
See income guidelines and watch for updates on distribution dates on Unite Ministry or the Hays Post
How to donate food
Community Assistance Center
8:30 to 1 p.m. Mondays through Fridays
Needs
Monetary donations
Baking mix
Spaghetti sauce in a can
Instant potatoes
Corn
Diced tomatoes in a can
Canned meat (tuna or salmon)
Soups
First Call for Help
8 to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays
Needs
Peanut Butter
Jelly
Crackers
Vegetable, chicken noodle, potato, chunky meat-Soups (pop-tops if you can)
Pasta sauces
Ready to eat meals
Rice
Beans
Canned meats
Instant potatoes
Pancakes and syrup
Canned vegetables and fruit
Tuna and hamburger helper
Ramen packets
Cereal
Ellis Food Pantry
Food can be dropped off at the Ellis Alliance Office, 820 Washington
St. Joseph Food Pantry
Food can be dropped off at the pantry on the first and third Saturdays of the month or dropped off 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays in food barrels just inside of the Kennedy gym doors.
The pantry will accept garden produce from 8:30 and 9 a.m. on the first and third Saturdays during distribution hours as well.
Needs
Canned soups
Canned beans (pinto or refried beans)
Canned fruits