Food drive: SACA collects Oct. 19

By Jan Jackson

Once again there is a need for nonperishable food to be donated to Silverton Area Community Aid, and a hope that community members will give whatever they can to help during the local food bank’s annual Fall Food Drive.

To help SACA stock its shelves, volunteers are leaving empty grocery sacks on doorsteps throughout the city, asking community members to fill them with soups, fruits and vegetables, pasta, rice, tomato products, Hamburger Helper and peanut butter.

Volunteers will pick up the filled bags on Saturday, Oct 19, and the food will be distributed to local families who seek assistance from SACA.

Community members donated more than 15,000 pounds of food during last year’s food drive. This year, due to the continuing high cost of food and gasoline, along with rising unemployment, there is an increased number of people coming through the door.

Although local merchants’ contributions continue to climb, food allotments from USDA are down dramatically.

The number of food boxes SACA distributed in 2007 totaled 1,226 and to date – prior to the critical-need season – in 2008 it has exceeded that by more than 300 boxes.

“Last year at this time, the high cost of food was in the headlines,” said Sally Eliason, in her second year as SACA director. “The problem is still present and even stronger, it’s just that people aren’t hearing about it. There are so many people impacted by what’s happening with the economy. We have food flying out the door and are going through what we have left quickly.”

SACA, which started 39 years ago in the basement of St. Paul Catholic Church, will coordinate the food drive at the Silverton Community Center, 421 S. Water St.

“We are seeing people coming to the food bank who have never needed to ask for help before but who find themselves asking this year because they lost their job or have to pay health care costs or they can’t afford food after paying for other expenses,” Eliason said. “Last year I saw how compassionate our community was and how they did what they could to help out.”

This year is new routes have been established and many of the volunteers collecting the food are Boy Scouts, church groups, high school students and other youth groups. If your bag doesn’t get picked up, you can either drop it off at the Community Center, 421 S Water St., Roth’s Family Market,
Silverton Fitness or Rolling Hills Bakery.

“Whether someone gives a can or two of food or two boxes, every little bit counts and it really can add up,” Eliason said.