To help the Clinton Food Pantry with a substantially increased demand for food, Families Helping Families (FHF) is holding a two-day virtual food drive on Saturday, and Sunday, Aug. 29 and 30. All the money raised during the drive will be matched by FHF.

Each year FHF holds an annual fall food drive to support the Clinton Food Pantry. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event had to be canceled this year in favor of an online model. Typically, the food drive is used by FHF to restock the pantry with items that are of need by having the group waiting outside of Stop & Shop and seeking donations.

“We normally raise between 12 and 15 hundred pounds of food and around $1,000 in donations,” said FHF President Miner Vincent.

Vincent noted that because of the pandemic, the need for food donations are increased dramatically.

“At its highest peak, the number of people [using the pantry] more than doubled,” said Vincent.

Vincent said the pantry is still seeing a 50 percent increase in the number of families who rely on the pantry.

In response to the demand, the pantry now needs more than a little restock.

“It needs everything. The problem is because of the increase in families—basically everything is in need,” said Vincent.

To participate in the online drive, interested people can go to the FHF website fhfclinton.org. On the site there will be a special donation button which will record food drive donations separately from regular donations. At the end of the two-day food drive, FHF will match, dollar-for-dollar, all donations. All money raised will be used specifically to continue to help provide food for the pantry.

“We want to make sure the food drive is separate so we have an idea of what was raised,” Vincent said. “As an example, a $20 donation would allow us to buy 36 cans of food for The Clinton Food Pantry and since FHF is matching dollar for dollar, that $20 turns into $40 and we can buy 72 cans of food with that same $20 donation.” While the increase in use of the food pantry has been noticed, Vincent also has seen an increase in donations.

“The people in town have been very generous, that’s one of the ways we’ve been able to meet the demand,” said Vincent.

Since April, more than 34,000 pounds of food has been donated to the pantry, according to Vincent.

For those looking to help beyond the food drive, Vincent said that donations can be made between 10 a.m. and noon on Wednesday at the pantry, which is located at the First Church of Christ, 55 Church Road, Clinton.

“We’re excited to see how much can raise and we’ll match it dollar for dollar,” Vincent said.