Though food drives make the paper around the holidays, and many might think soup kitchens and food pantries are only for the homeless and jobless, hunger is an issue that affects a large number of people across the population at all times of the year.
According to figures provided by the Food Bank of Western New York, 1,582,601 pounds of food were distributed to 24 emergency food service providers in Chautauqua County in 2009 - an increase of more than 100,000 pounds from 2008. Anne Julian, agency services director for the Food Bank of WNY, said that she has seen a steady increase in need throughout the 13 years she has been involved with the organization.
''Years ago, we used to have 500 agencies (in Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Erie and Niagara counties) and move a million pounds or more each month,'' she said. ''Now we have (fewer than) 400 agencies and are still moving a million pounds each month.''
In fact, reports released by the Food Bank show that here in Chautauqua County, the need for food is increasing dramatically.
Figures from December 2008, for example, show that 66,843 meals were distributed by the 24 Food Bank-supported providers in the county. One year later, that number increased by more than 13 percent to 77,143 meals. Nearly half - 36,026 - of those meals in December 2009 were given out in the eight emergency food service providers in the city of Jamestown.
Sue Colwell, staff coordinator at St. Susan Center, said that as the economy continues to struggle and more people find themselves out of full-time employment, a greater number of people find themselves looking to food service providers to help make ends meet.
''We have people who come down here and eat, and that opens the door so that they can pay a utility bill,'' she said. ''If you can bring your family down and feed them even a few days a week, that makes a big difference on what you can do with your money.''
A recent study conducted by the Food Bank of Western New York found that more than half - 51 percent - of households that utilize the services of emergency food assistance have had to choose between paying for food and utilities; 34 percent between food and rent or mortgage; and 29 percent between food and medicine or medical care.
Patty Perlee, executive director of the Joint Neighborhood Project, said one way her agency has aimed to help families who may be faced with such decisions has been to open for special hours Tuesday evenings from 4:30 to 6:30 so people can stop by after work.
''We've had 78 families come more than once to our pantry,'' she said. ''Those are people who normally wouldn't use a pantry, but because they meet the income guidelines, even though they're working, they can.''
Ms. Perlee said that summertime can be particularly hard on families who are struggling to make ends meet, as children who normally eat at school are home and looking for meals there. However, she said, most still only come to food pantry when they absolutely need it.
''What we hear the most often is that people are telling us that they might not come every month, but that they might come once or twice a year,'' Ms. Perlee said. ''They are almost embarrassed when they have to come and say, 'I just couldn't make it.'''
STRETCHING SUPPLIES
Since 2006, the Food Bank of Western New York reports, the number of people who are turning to emergency food programs has increased substantially - up 82 percent at food pantries, 63 percent at soup kitchens and 41 percent at shelters.
The Rev. John Steinhauser, director of Union Gospel Mission, says that despite the number of people in need in the area, there is more than enough support for the people who truly need it and seek to find it.
''I think that needs are being more than adequately met,'' Steinhauser said. ''The Food Bank of Western New York is a terrific agency and they are available there for those who have some part in distributing food and reaching people practically speaking, and there really is no problem.''
The Food Bank has been working hard to make sure that food has been in adequate supply to be distributed for years, Ms. Julian said. However, it is also in need of support.
''We are grateful to say that we have had a good year on cash donations,'' Ms. Julian said. ''We had Check Out Hunger just recently, and we also had our Sweet Charity benefit, and we also had our Food 2 Families Food Drive. Those are our three largest drives, and we are blessed to have them. If we don't have them next year, how are we going to survive? I don't know.''
When the Food Bank uses funds to purchase food, it does so at wholesale and then sells the food to its member agencies at a price of 14 cents per pound. For example, Ms. Julian said, the Food Bank pays $11.80 for a case of beef stew. That case weighs 21 pounds, and at 14 cents per pound, a member agency can get it from the Food Bank for $2.94.
''We understand that they are not-for-profits and they are struggling too,'' Ms. Julian said. ''Every dollar that you donate, we take it and purchase food and move it back out at 14 cents per pound because we understand that the agencies are trying to stretch their dollars too.''
Ms. Julian says her goal is to make sure every man, woman and child who is served by one of the 336 member agencies of the Food Bank receives a quality, nutritious meal - a goal that has become increasingly challenging over the years as need has increased while funding has decreased.
Ms. Colwell faces similar challenges at St. Susan's Center, but says the local community has always seemed to come through for the soup kitchen.
''Our community has been so generous to us,'' she said. ''Just last week, we had a group from Moon Brook Charity Classic come in and volunteer and donate, giving us $2,500. It helps us so much.''
St. Susan Center celebrated 26 years of service on Feb. 1, Ms. Colwell said, and the community has been behind every moment of that service.
''There are some people who have been giving 26 years to St. Susan Center,'' she said. ''We could not survive one day without the generosity of our community.''
HELPING HANDS
While Ms. Perlee said she has seen a some growth each year in the number of people who have utilized the services of the Joint Neighborhood Project, she has tracked a significant spike in customers to the food pantry since the end of 2007.
''We've seen a 13 percent increase in the number of people who come to use our services,'' she said. ''Every year, we'll have a little bit of an increase, but really from the end of 2007 through 2009, and really 2008, that's when we saw an enormous increase.''
It's when the sun begins to make more regular appearances and the temperature begins to rise, Ms. Colwell says, that the St. Susan Center begins to see a larger number of people coming through its doors looking for meals.
''As the weather warms up, people are out,'' she said. ''There are a lot of people who are older people who suffer from arthritis and things like that, so it's hard for them to walk and get out (when it is colder).''
Saying that many people who visit St. Susan's only eat one meal a day, Ms. Colwell said the soup kitchen makes sure to provide a hot, balanced meal that features fruit, dairy, vegetable, protein and starch.
And while some people go to the soup kitchen every day, others only arrive when their other means of procuring food run dry. Statistics offered by the Food Bank report that nearly 60 percent of households that visit emergency food providers receive food stamps, and more than 80 percent of those report that those benefits do not last the entire month - on average, the food stamps last less than three weeks.
''Families come in at the end of the day, when the kids get out of school,'' Ms. Colwell said. ''We are seeing more and more new faces, depending on the time of the month when things are tougher.''
Despite the challenges faced by those who must scrape to get by and find food on a day-to-day basis, Steinhauser said that thanks to organizations such as the Food Bank and community-minded people who offer their assistance, help is right around the corner for anyone who needs it.
''There is always going to be hunger around - you can't get away from that,'' Steinhauser said. ''But as far as I am concerned, there is adequate coverage here, there are a lot of community helping hands sharing.''
