The Eudora Food Pantry is still serving the number of people it did during the pandemic, but its bank account is dwindling.
Marsha Gordon, the pantry’s organizer, and Laura Smith, director of Feeding Eudora and community navigator, are trying to get the numbers up proactively so the pantry doesn’t end up with bare shelves before the holidays.
For about the last four months, the number of community members utilizing the pantry in the basement of St. Paul Church has stayed high, but the bank account has been on a steady decline.
The pantry is looking for new routes to prepare for the next few months before donations pick up around the holidays. It already also has food drop-off locations in Main Street Scoops and Sweets, the library and Forge Martial Arts, but Gordon said what they need is monetary donations. Receiving money allows Gordon to get better deals on bulk items from local grocery stores.
Depending on the week, the pantry can serve 80-130 people, with the average around 100. Before the pandemic, that number was about 40.
Gordon and Smith encourage those who use the pantry to select items inside the church rather than do pick-ups. Volunteers started the drive-by style distribution during the pandemic, and it’s been the way 95% of people get their food since, Gordon said.
The problem with that is the bags are pre-packed with set items, leading to some food waste if families do not like or use certain things, she said.
“It just really is a win for everyone if we can get people in there,” Smith said. “We know that choice is big when they’re serving their food, whether it’s continuing family traditions of cooking, or just not having the amount of waste.”
Smith also encourages people to bring back items they don’t use.
The pantry receives a monthly drop-off from Harvesters and occasionally receives items from Just Food, although they have been struggling with stock, as well, Gordon said.
They have about 18 regular volunteers at the pantry who make the operation possible, she said.
Jan Tedrow has been a volunteer for a few years now, making sure bags are packed for when people drive by on Wednesdays.
Tedrow, a former teacher, said food is important in making sure kids can learn at school. As money is having to be stretched further for child care, housing and health care, it can be difficult to make ends meet with food, she said.
“Definitely in the last year there has been an increased demand. We have a lot of great support from the community, and we’ll get a big donation and it’s exciting. We’re so grateful to have it, but it seems like it just goes so quickly,” she said.
The pantry’s volunteers have become like a family, she said. Tedrow misses connecting with people shopping for their items and hopes more come downstairs to pick food.
She wants people to understand that this need exists in Eudora and any kind of help is appreciated.
To find new ways to help, Smith works with Gordon on the social media promotion and is trying to engage young people in volunteering and finding ways to gather donations with payment other than checks.
Gordon said since most of the volunteers are in their 70s and 80s, they need help from the next generation to follow in their footsteps.
Smith and Gordon are trying to make the pantry about more than the Wednesdays when distribution is. Gordon hopes that with Smith’s involvement they can continue to help those coming to the pantry find more of the resources they need. They’re also continuing to plan for long-term sustainability.
“This is not just about food delivery. This is about how do we connect people to other services that might be helpful?” Gordon said.
It’s about other organizations also reaching out with their needs or helping direct food from the pantry to those who need it, Smith said, whether that’s asking United Way for items or sending items to the Eudora Schools Foundation for staff or students in need.
“It’s about collaborations and partnerships. It’s not just about Wednesday,” Smith said.
They hope to expand services to Saturday eventually, but they need to up their stock before that can happen, Gordon said.
The pantry is open from 9 a.m. to noon Wednesdays, but if needed individuals can make other arrangements with Gordon at 785-766-1814.
When the community has been aware of the needs, they have always been supportive. It just takes getting the word out, Gordon said.
To donate to the pantry, people can either make a check out to Eudora Food Pantry in care of St Paul Church, PO Box 722 or use the link to donate to Feeding Eudora and check the “This is a corporate/organization donation” box then put Eudora Food Pantry in the box. The best time to drop off items at the church is from 8:30 to noon Wednesday mornings. If you need items picked up, contact Smith at 316- 207-7241.
“Food doesn’t discriminate. Everyone needs it and everyone should have food. It should be a right,” Smith said.
Reach reporter Sara Maloney at [email protected].
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