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03/13/2023 11:10 AMWith the impact of the coronavirus pandemic having dwindled for many, the North Haven Food Pantry is still active in providing food assistance for those who are in need.
The pantry, run through North Haven Community Services, has seen its donation and service rates return to pre-COVID levels after following an abundance of donations at the start of the pandemic, according to the department’s Rob Snurkowski.
“We got a big increase during COVID; 2020, we had a major increase, three times the amount of food that we basically would be getting,” said Snurkowski. “We’re probably back to the amount we used to get pre-COVID. Our stocks are good, but we’re not where we were, getting three times the amount of stuff; we’re basically back to where we were, back to pre-pandemic.”
A helpful supply of donations had been given to the pantry during Community Services-sponsored holiday food drives from October to December 2022. However, Snurkowski said many donations arrived at the pantry much later than the optimal time.
“A lot of people did not start donating for the holiday season until the week of Thanksgiving. We usually put together the bags that we’re giving out to people, maybe going into that first week of November,” he said. “We did have stores of stuff to be able to start putting that together, but we were waiting until kind of the last minute…to finish off the bags and get them done.”
“This was a pattern that I saw last year, too, but we had a lot of stuff that we were able to supplement until the real stuff started coming in.”
Snurkowski said the best time to donate food specifically for the holiday season is November so that Community Services can organize items for their intended families or individuals, many of them being senior citizens.
Snurkowsi observed during the pandemic a “drastic increase” in the number of clients needing food assistance from the pantry, including those who had not previously applied for assistance. Following a small decline last summer, need began to increase again. Snurkowksi credits the impact of inflation on grocery prices. This particularly hit the pantry’s usual clientele of senior citizens on fixed incomes, some of whom would be transported by the Senior Center to food markets.
“During COVID, we were getting a lot of the elderly population because back before, they were having a senior bus that would come and take people that weren’t driving to the grocery stores. They had to limit that with the amount of people,” said Snurkowski. “The reason I’ve seen an increase now is because of inflation. It’s really because of the amount that groceries are. [The food bank] really does help as sort of a supplemental for people right now.”
Snurkowski expects to see an uptick in the number of people seeking food from the pantry around the beginning of April, primarily as a result of the ending of assistance programs such as the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for its applicants. A Center on Budget and Policy Priorities report shows that Connecticut recipients with temporary pandemic-era SNAP benefits have begun receiving $90 less in benefits.
Down in the pantry, a great variety of items sits on the shelves, including non-perishable canned goods and boxed food, such as vegetables, soups, beans, cereals, and pastas. All items are labeled in black marker with their expiration dates in preparation for rotation. While those items are among the most commonly donated items to the pantry, Snurkowski encourages donors to consider other products to bring variety into an individual’s or family’s home.
“I have a lot of these vegetables; I have a lot of tuna fish. Those are always going to be staples that are going to want to go in the bag because people are trying to fix with their meals…sometimes people don’t ever realize little luxury things.”
Snurkowski pointed to items such as breadcrumbs, pancake mixes, and even salt and pepper shakers as examples of those “little luxuries” to donate.
Observing the shelves in the pantry, there is a noticeable difference in the number of certain products compared to others. Canned vegetables and soups outnumber canned fruits, applesauce, and granola bars since the former items are not always considered essentials. It is another example of thinking beyond commonly considered items to donate.
“You can see the vast difference between how many applesauces and how many granola bars I have, compared to how many vegetables I have,” said Snurkowski. “People usually just think, ‘Ok, these are just a few items that people want,’ and those are the things that I get a lot of donations for. Not a bad thing, but people don’t always think, ‘OK, well somebody might like pancakes or a granola bar for someone who is on their way to work.’”
Beyond food, Snurkowski also encourages donations to the pantry in the form of reusable bags, which can be given to clients and then recycled for repeated use after those clients return for more food with them.
“We’re basically giving out bags to people because they’re taking at least two bags minimum of stuff that’s given to them, and they’re leaving with it. What I enacted is that usually, you’re coming here this month, you’re taking your two bags full of stuff. Next month, when you come to pick up your stuff, if you could return those two bags you have, and you can get two fresh bags.”
Snurkowski said that pantry volunteer opportunities for community members have no longer become a priority, as Community Services has partnered with North Haven Public School’s Transition Partnership. The program supports North Haven High School graduates with disabilities with financial matters such as paying the bills and garnering job-related skills to prepare them for adulthood.
“I use those kids a lot for our volunteer stuff because they need to learn a lot of this stuff, like when you’re getting a job…it gives them community service hours,” said Snurskowski.
Ultimately, Snurkowski said that donations are always welcome for those in need.