Events Calendar
In This Section
Most Read Stories
Man robbed at Tallmadge Avenue eatery
Four teens restrain man, take items from his Akron home
Police: Ohio girl dies after fall into snow bank
Complaints against officer keep coming
Another winter punch heading toward Ohio
Cuyahoga Falls residents come home to find burning couch on balcony
Blogs:
First Bell - On Education:
No City of Akron basketball tonight
Pets:
Pet telethon re-airs
The Heldenfiles:
Chipmunks "Squeakquel" on DVD/BD March 30
Akron Zips:
Late surge gives Zips ugly road win
Tribe Matters:
Blogmail response on Hafner
Cleveland Browns:
Stallworth's contract terminated
Balanced Ledger:
QB in Browns future: another mock draft
Kent State Sports:
KSU Notes – February 9
Cleveland Cavaliers:
NBA Power Rankings from Around the Internet
Buckeye Blogging:
Buckeyes grab 18 players on signing day
Varsity Letters:
Garfield at Buchtel basketball
All Da King's Men:
Palin At The Tea Party Convention
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Republican Pre-Conditions
Akron Law Café:
Citizens United v. F.E.C. (Part 4): Kennedy's and O'Connor's Basic Approaches to Constitutional Decisionmaking – Top Down and Bottom Up
Car Chase:
Collector Car Hobby Loses One of the Best—Jim Roll
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Decisions Decisions: Credit Cards or Your Mortgage?
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Loucile is looking for a Lake Erie getaway in June for three kids, ages 1, 3, and 5.
Sound Check:
Talk of the Town – Top entertainment picks for the weekend
HRLite House:
Track HR Research
Akron Gamer:
'Tecmo Bowl' recreation of Super Bowl XLIV
See Jane Style:
Do IT this week: Layering
Akron-Canton official says many former donors are now clients as economy worsens. Record set in October
By Bill Lilley
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Wednesday, Nov 12, 2008
Dan Flowers is focused on feeding people — not setting records.
But with the economic climate being what it is, the president and CEO of the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank understands why his organization is hitting records in food distribution.
''Unemployment is up everywhere,'' he said, ''and that definitely includes our area. I think the only thing that has surprised us is how many people who formerly were wonderful donors are now clients.
''Economic problems are affecting people at all levels, and distribution of food has been off the charts for us. It's truly an unprecedented time.''
The food bank recorded its first 2 million-pound month, distributing 2,018,570 pounds of food in October. The previous record for food distributed in a month was 1,784,150 in May 2007. Only three other months have exceeded 1.3 million pounds, and all occurred in 2008.
The organization has distributed 1 million pounds of food every month so far this year and projects to do the same in November and December. That will be the first time that has happened in Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank history.
The yearly record of 12,975,000 pounds set in
2007 has already been shattered by nearly a million pounds. Through Monday, the food bank had distributed 13,739,069 pounds, which equates to 10.7 million meals.
On Oct. 24, 155,077 pounds were distributed, making it the second-highest daily total, trailing only the 187,302 pounds given out on a day last December.
Not time to panic
The demand, however, hasn't put Flowers and his staff in a panic.
''The silver lining is the community responds brilliantly every time we're in need,'' Flowers said.
''The people in the community, all the volunteers, have done a great job responding to the need. Our volunteer numbers have nearly doubled — we now have more than 900.
''And we now operate in a facility in which we can do our job tremendously efficiently.''
In 2007, after 17 years in a building on Grant Street that was formerly the Flaherty Potato Chip factory in Akron, the food bank moved into the spacious former home of beer distributor House of LaRose on Opportunity Parkway in Akron.
Great investment
''If we were still in the former building, there is no way we could process the amount of food that's necessary to feed the people who are hungry,'' Flowers said. ''The new building is truly a great investment by the community for the community.
''When we opened the building a year ago, we projected that we'd hit 16 million [pounds of food] in a single year in about 10 years. Unfortunately, we're already at that point, probably at the end of this year.''
There is a 20 percent increase in the overall number of clients from last year, he said, and the increase in families with children is even more significant — 29 percent increase from 2007.
Josie M. McElroy, the food bank's director of development, said that the food bank isn't gearing up for a holiday rush — ''we feed people 365 days a year.''
But she said poverty-stricken children are even more affected by hunger at the holiday time.
''The children who are struggling with hunger aren't looking forward to the holidays,'' McElroy explained. ''Time off school because of breaks or a snow day means they miss the one hot meal they can count on every day.
''One in every three clients the food bank helps to feed is under 18.''
Demand being met
Flowers said the amount of food and dollar donations has created a supply that has been able to keep up with an ever-increasing demand.
There has been a huge increase in food supplies coming from the federal government through the Emergency Food Assistance Program.
''We've got more USDA food than ever before,'' Flowers said.
There also has been a large increase in state-funded products through the Department of Jobs and Family Services.
''What's our lifeblood, though, is the local food donors — local retailers, manufacturers and wholesalers and people in the community,'' he said. ''Through them, we've had a windfall of products.''
For instance, the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank got $30,000 as part of a statewide grant from Sam's Club.
McElroy said the food bank will team with WKDD beginning Monday for its annual Long Haul Against Hunger campaign.
Accepting donations
The monthlong campaign accepts donations through the Web site http://www.akroncantonfoodbank.org and at various sites for food drop-offs through Dec. 15.
''The stunning thing to us is the number of first-time clients coming to our programs,'' Flowers said. ''And even though gas prices have helped a lot with a big drop, the unemployment numbers are way up.
''There are a lot of variables, but unemployment is a huge one. Because of that, I don't see the demand lightening up any time soon, especially over the holidays.''
Bill Lilley can be reached at 330-996-3811 or blilley@thebeaconjournal.com.
Dan Flowers is focused on feeding people — not setting records.
Get the full article here.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
akron, oh
Posted 08:55 PM, 11/15/2008
Gee I womder why make too much for food stamps, not enough to make ends meet--plus every hoilday its there are food drives in schools,place to get half price tickets to get into a show or meals--if I keep giving(which I won't be this year) I"ll have to join the groups above to get my meals.
