Oregon Area Food Pantry hits new record for number of people served this summer

OREGON, Wis. (WMTV) – In parts of south-central Wisconsin, food pantry usage is at an all-time high.

The Oregon Area Food Pantry is seeing new record numbers in the number of people served and we are only halfway through this month. Numbers have almost doubled from last summer.

The pantry has served 543 people so far in August. OAFP’s monthly numbers have increased from 585 families in September 2023 to 1018 families in July 2024.

Pantry executive director Sheri Pollock said other expenses prevent people from affording nutritious and healthy food.

“I thought we had reached some kind of plateau at 900 people a month, and last month it was over a thousand people,” Pollock said.

Pollock said the people she meets are struggling not only to feed their stomachs, but also to keep a roof over their heads.

“Some of them were able to keep up for a while, but now it’s catching up with them. I think child care is a big cost,” Pollock said.

It serves people with different life experiences.

“Most people who come here work. I think that’s a myth. I think people think people don’t work. A lot of people who come here have one, two or three jobs,” Pollock said.

One of the pantry’s donation partners explains why the need continues to grow.

“I think the pandemic has shown people who are in need that it’s OK to go out and ask for help,” said Kris Tazelaar, director of marketing and communications at Second Harvest Foodbank.

Tazelaar says costs are rising every day, putting families’ survival at risk.

“Groceries have gone up 25%, rent 30%, gas over 60%. Although it feels like they are moving forward, in reality they are a little further behind because they have so many external expenses to bear,” Tazelaar said.

When people are in need, the Oregon community stands by them.

“Yesterday there was a Facebook post from one of our management staff. Within an hour and a half we had ten or eleven donations,” Pollock said.

If you would like to help the pantry, you can visit Hy-Vee in Oregon where you can purchase donation bags filled with needed funds for the pantry at the checkout.

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