Donations needed for Wednesday distribution

The chairman of the Food For Families/Foodnet drive says the need for donations is up this year because of economic hardship and “people are receiving less government benefits.”
Eugene Fontenot said volunteers at the Christian Care and Share Center on West Main Street are finding people seeking help there this year are having to choose between purchasing food or medicine.
And that doesn’t factor in the cost of utilities, clothing and other needs that people come to the center to get help with.
Fontenot said the center distributed an estimated six tons of donated items last year, about a ton more than the year before.
He said cash donations help the center to buy food in bulk and to help people who face having utilities cut off.
The Food For Families/Foodnet drive has a flier listing a number of items that are needed for this year’s distribution on Wednesday, December 11, at the Northside Civic Center from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Non-perishable, and non-homemade food donations being accepted include rice, flour, cornmeal, pasta, dried potatoes and beans, peanut butter, cereal, cooking oil, mayonnaise and mustard, Jell-o and jelly, coffee and tea, Kool-Aide and crackers. Donors can drop off canned vegetables, fruit, fish, juice, milk, soup and meats.
A number of toiletry items are also being accepted, including soap, baby diapers and wipes, toilet tissue, shampoo and detergent.
One of the volunteers who has volunteered at the center since it opened in 1985, Nazel Guillory, said “there’s always something to do.”