VALLEY PARK, MO (KTVI-FOX2now.com) -
New state numbers show that more Missourians than ever are on food stamps. That incredible need is translating into more pressure on food pantries to deliver. The Executive Director for the Circle of Concern food pantry in Valley Park, Glenn Koenen, says one in six Missourians are now on food stamps. The March numbers were sobering. Nearly one million twenty five thousand Missourians received food stamps in March- the most ever.
113 thousand of those people are in St. Louis county; 122 thousand in St. Louis city. Both of those also record highs.
"The same pressures that are sending people to the food stamp office are sending an even greater number of people to places like Circle of Concern because they need extra food to get through the month," explained Koenen.
Koenen says at times the Circle of Concern is now feeding more people in a week than it used to feed in a month. He blames the recession. In addition to helping lots of unemployed people, Koenen is also seeing more and more people who have had their hours cut back and simply can't make it without help.
"We've never had a situation like this where there have been so many people needing help at the same time," said Koenen.
The Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri is trying to respond. The group's annual April Showers event where it collects donated personal care items for pantries will take place Saturday. Items like soaps and shampoos are collected- they are items not covered by food stamps.
"It's a huge deal for families and I think that with our girls participating in it it's a great way for them to help their community and have an impact," said Mary Wilson with the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri.
Koenen hopes things will start to turn around later this year.
He told us, "All we can do now is like a roller coaster. We just have to hang on and wait for the end."
Koenen says the Circle helped to feed more than 13 hundred people in march- that's a 32 percent jump over March of last year. Koenen fears the worst may still be to come because summer vacation for kids is right around the corner. That means parents will now have to provide all of the meals that some kids were receiving at school.
113 thousand of those people are in St. Louis county; 122 thousand in St. Louis city. Both of those also record highs.
"The same pressures that are sending people to the food stamp office are sending an even greater number of people to places like Circle of Concern because they need extra food to get through the month," explained Koenen.
Koenen says at times the Circle of Concern is now feeding more people in a week than it used to feed in a month. He blames the recession. In addition to helping lots of unemployed people, Koenen is also seeing more and more people who have had their hours cut back and simply can't make it without help.
"We've never had a situation like this where there have been so many people needing help at the same time," said Koenen.
The Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri is trying to respond. The group's annual April Showers event where it collects donated personal care items for pantries will take place Saturday. Items like soaps and shampoos are collected- they are items not covered by food stamps.
"It's a huge deal for families and I think that with our girls participating in it it's a great way for them to help their community and have an impact," said Mary Wilson with the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri.
Koenen hopes things will start to turn around later this year.
He told us, "All we can do now is like a roller coaster. We just have to hang on and wait for the end."
Koenen says the Circle helped to feed more than 13 hundred people in march- that's a 32 percent jump over March of last year. Koenen fears the worst may still be to come because summer vacation for kids is right around the corner. That means parents will now have to provide all of the meals that some kids were receiving at school.
