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Despite increasing unemployment rates and tough economic times, the Edinboro Food Pantry continues to serve local residents without having to cut the valuable service it provides.
"We haven't had to turn anyone away yet," said Mary Weber, a volunteer at the Edinboro Food Pantry.
This is good news to local residents, with reports of other county food banks struggling to meet the growing demands of ever-increasing patrons.
The food pantry is located in the Edinboro Municipal Building at 124 Meadville St. The pantry is open from 1:30 to 5 p.m. every Tuesday.
Residents living within the General McLane and Cambridge Springs (Penncrest)?school districts that meet the income requirements are eligible.
The income requirements are based on total household income and are set at 150 percent of the poverty line.
Maximum yearly income for a single person household is $16,245 and can increase to up to $55,515 for an eight-person household.
Patrons are first asked to sign a "self declaration of need" form that ensures that they meet the income requirements to be eligible to receive food.
Next, they are given a generous box of food to start off and they then proceed down the rows of tables where they can pick their choice of bread, produce, dessert and meat, as well as one non-food item.
Much of the seasonal produce comes from local farmers, while the rest of the food comes from local businesses and residents.
The charity of the local community has spared the food pantry from having to turn people away or cut the amount of food given away each week.
Many organizations and clubs from Edinboro University have also donated food, time and money to help the pantry serve as many residents as possible.
But not all local food banks have remained unaffected by the increase of people in need.
The Second Harvest Food Bank, which is located in the city of Erie, has struggled to keep up with the growing numbers.
Second Harvest served 34 percent more people in April of this year than in January. That has affected the amount of food they can provide the community.
"After you pay all of your bills, whatever is left over you use for food," said Karen Seggi, the food bank's executive director. "Sometimes that's very little, and sometimes that's nothing at all."
The U. S. Census Bureau recently released income data showing that the number of people living in poverty in Erie County was at 14.5 percent.
Despite that grim economic news, residents of the Edinboro, Cambridge Springs and McKean areas continue to benefit from the Edinboro Food Pantry.
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