CHARLOTTE, N.C. — This holiday season, food pantries all across our area need your support to keep things running smoothly.
Food pantry managers said they are scrambling to fill the need in the community as they deal with either inflation or supply issues.
“What we’re trying to do is make sure we get enough food to the community and some of the food desserts," Hickory Grove Baptist Church Food Pantry Manager Charles Norwood said.
The line of families at Hickory Grove Baptist Church’s food bank snaked around the parking lot Tuesday as families waited to load up their cars with food to put on their table for Thanksgiving.
“Trying to give meat and produce and anything else that we can give out to make a difference in their lives," Norwood said.
Norwood said despite a sense of normalcy, there’s been a major uptick compared to last year for those in need.
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“We having a lot of trouble getting a lot of can goods and things like that and we appreciate any help we can get from the public," Norwood said.
Kenya Joseph, the manager at Hearts and Hands Food Pantry in Huntersville, said she is seeing an increase in demand as well.
“I don’t know if it’s the inflation or what’s happening but we are starting to see a lot more families coming in and also people we served previously that we served last year we’re starting to see them again," Joseph said.
Beyond food, Hearts and Hands food pantry distributes personal care items, baby and pet supplies.
Joseph said as fast as things come in, the faster it goes.
“Especially for us now going past Thanksgiving past Christmas and into the New Year we pretty much need everything," Joseph said.
The Hickory Grove food pantry is moving over to the Eastland Mall parking lot Wednesday from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.
As for Hearts and Hands, the Huntersville food pantry is needing volunteers and drivers.
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