Food pantries struggling to make ends meet isn’t necessarily new. But the Frewsburg Community Food Pantry’s recent request for help from the town of Carroll is something we haven’t seen in recent years.

Wendy Nelson, food pantry coordinator, is asking the town to help as an emergency source of funding for the food pantry when it has to pay out of pocket for food deliveries that it then disburses to those who need food. For the first time in its history, the Frewsburg Food Pantry had to pay out-of-pocket for its August order after changes to grant access and distribution from FeedMore WNY.

Essentially, the situation is this – if the food pantry exceeds the amount it is allowed through the HPNAP program, then it’s not eligible for other grants that it needs to meet the needs of Carroll residents. Last month the food pantry found itself in the position of paying out of pocket in order to preserve eligibility for other grants – but it’s an action the pantry can’t absorb forever. Hence, the request for the Carroll Town Board to provide a little money from town taxpayers to help the food pantry.

Consider it a safety net for the safety net.

We’re talking about a small amount of money right now. The Frewsburg Food Pantry paid $31.50 out of pocket last month. It’s worth remembering that purchasing food from FeedMore WNY typically results in much more for a food pantry than spending $31.50 at the grocery store. Not spending the $31.50 means the food pantry loses out on a pretty significant amount of food. One way the Frewsburg Community Food Pantry is trying to solve its problem is by asking the town for financial help.

Why should those who don’t live in Frewsburg care?

The answer is simple. We have a feeling this request is coming throughout the county. We haven’t heard of a food pantry in our readership area helping fewer people this year than they did the previous year. Food pantries, from the smallest to the largest in our county, are seeing more need even as their access to programs that help bring that food to Chautauqua County is decreasing through federal funding cuts and changes to grant programs. We’ve been warning about the increased need for a while now. Food pantries have been sounding the alarm over the past few years, and many have been proactive trying to find new ways to raise money and food donations. But the underlying situation isn’t changing. Resources are drying up at the same time the needs of the less fortunate are growing.

Frewsburg’s may be the first such request for government support of a food pantry that we’ve heard of, but we don’t think it will be the last.