The St. Vincent de Paul District of Marinette food pantry continues to experience a dramatic surge in demand in 2023.
The 492,000 pounds of food served since the beginning of the yea puts the pantry on track to more than double last year’s record-breaking distribution. The figure marks a 175% year-over-year increase, placing the organization on track to distribute an estimated 600,000 pounds of food by year-end.
The pantry has supported 5,064 families, encompassing 3,100 children and 2,685 seniors. To combat this rising need, the pantry has added full-time staff members and additional food distributions above and beyond their weekly distributions.
“We have been blessed to offer additional off-site food distributions this year,” says Ashley Berken, St. Vincent de Paul’s executive director. “However, even with this continued increase in food resources, the demand keeps rising. Each and every day that we distribute food, whether on or off-site, we have people in line before the sun comes up, waiting for hours in their vehicles for food. And each and every week, more and more people are waiting earlier and earlier.”
Berken said inflation over the past two years and the closure of another local food pantry has contributed to the increased demand.
Donations can be made online at svdpmarinette.org or by mailing a check to PO Box 1111, Marinette, WI 54143.
