Area food pantries benefit from latest drive

Boxes that had been placed in Sonny’s Super Foods store for the past two weeks were picked up today, ending the first of many food drives put on by the Community Action Partnership of Western Nebraska, CAPWN.

The food was picked up by Brenda Dickinson and taken to one of the Sidney food pantries.

Dickinson said that the food drive over the past two weeks generated a good amount of food for the community.

“We collected five good-sized bags of food and are picking up more today (Friday),” Dickinson said.

Dickinson said that the food drive was announced on the radio and in the paper and that everyone in the community was encouraged to give meal supplies.

When funding for the food pantry was depleted in October, Dickinson and her staff were unable to go buy food for the pantry for the past two months.

“The funds dried up, so now it’s a whole new ballgame to try and figure out how to get food for our food pantry,” Dickinson said.

Before the CAPWN food drive, Cabela’s also held a drive to help try and meet the community’s needs, Dickinson said.

Dickinson said that even though the drive has ended the community is urged to continue bringing in as much food as they can to the CAPWN building located at 2241 Illinois St.

The building is open for drop-offs on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. and on varying hours on Friday. Monetary donations are also welcome and can either be brought in or mailed in.

Dickinson said that families have already been coming in and gathering meals donated through the drive.

Most of the food items collected included vegetables, soups, pastas, and instant meals that are easy to prepare, Dickinson said.

A freezer is now also located in the building so that anyone can bring in frozen meals.

Dickinson said that personal products such as diapers, hygiene items, clothes and toys are also welcome and that the coats from the Cabela’s coat drive last week have already helped 32 Sidney residents in need.

Dickinson said that food and supply donations are always needed and she will make herself available for any drop-off time if she is contacted.

“If they call I will meet whomever, wherever,” she said.

Dickinson said that the need for food and clothes is year round, not just seasonal and that you never know when an event could leave a family in need of assistance.

“Stuff happens to different people at different times,” Dickinson said.

Dickinson said however that more people do seem to reach out to CAPWN around the holidays.

“It makes things special for their families this season,” Dickinson said.