The Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina's holiday schedule is shutting food off to all its pantries through the holidays. Cleveland's pantry is scheduled to pick up food on Dec. 17 and then not until Jan. 7. Our food pantry typically picks up about 8,000 pounds monthly. That will short the Cleveland pantry about 4,000 pounds and eliminate 3-6,000 meals from our neighbors' tables. If you can help donate food for our families, please bring it in Saturdays 9-6 or Monday nights 6-9. Cash donations will permit us to continue buying food, after the Bank reopens in 2008. In addition to buying donated canned goods, we usually buy 800-1,400 pounds of meat a week, plus yogurt or juices. We plan to be open both Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve to serve those in need. For more information call 661-6565 or visit our Internet site at http://4042needs.org/ Pantries don't stock pile, because Bank policy limits a pantry to a 30-day supply and shoppers find the food rationed, allocated, or not available. Cereals are often limited to one case, regardless if the pantry is serving hundreds of residents. Other reasons are a 50 minute time limit on shopping; lack of shoppers, loaders, and vehicles; and lack of storage space-particularly for frozen and refigerated foods.
