Staff report
The food pantry at the Rowan County Department of Social Services is in need of basic foods.
Carl Ford, chairman of the Rowan Count Board of Commissioners, challenged fellow commissioners, county staff and county residents with jobs to help out by donating a bag of groceries to Social Services or Rowan Helping Ministries, 226 N. Long St.
Sandra Wilkes, Social Services director, said the pantry helps out when people come to apply for food assistance.
“Our food needs relate to food stamp (now called the Food and Nutrition Services program) applicants who have no food in the house and expect to wait several days for their food stamp application to be processed. When we have food on hand in the agency, we can bag up enough items to feed the family until their benefits come through,” said Wilkes.
For people who need food for a longer period of time, Social Services refers them to Rowan Helping Ministries, which has a much larger food program.
Suggested donations include dried beans, rice, pasta, spaghetti sauce, macaroni and cheese, canned meat (tuna, chicken, salmon), soup, crackers, peanut butter, instant potatoes, canned milk, powdered milk, grits, oatmeal and cereal
“We cannot use perishable items,” Wilkes said, adding, “Keep in mind that many families do not have milk, eggs, butter and other items that are needed to bake with. Often, they do not have many pots and pans. Donors should think about food items that are standalone ó or that can be mixed with water or canned milk.”
Donations should be brought to Social Services, 1236 W Innes St.
For more information, call Pat Spears, 704-216-8407.