Food pantry sees big holiday increase in demand
By Ashleigh Plemper
Farmer Staff Writer
High-end vehicles typically symbolize financial success. So when you begin to see those same vehicles flocking to food handouts, the reality of economic hardship suddenly sets in as cars you’d least expect become the first ones in the queue to line up at the McKenzie County Food Pantry.
Eat, sleep, and organizing the food pantry has been the story of Kay O’Connor’s life for a while now. And her life has only gotten busier after the food pantry saw a dramatic increase in people looking for food assistance after COVID-19 struck in mid-March.
“We’re in the hundreds now,” says O’Connor, who manages the McKenzie County Food Pantry.
Prior to the start of COVID-19, O’Connor says that the food pantry normally saw 60 to 80 people during its weekly handouts. And it has steadily increased.
“What was interesting is we didn’t get hit hard at first,” she says. “I kept expecting our numbers to go up. But in the last couple of months, we’ve seen a big increase in people.”
O’Connor says that as many as 110 people have shown up during their last four handouts.
“Rather than ordering six to eight cases of stuff, I’m ordering 12 to 15,” she says.
While the higher volume of people has undeniably been more consuming, O’Connor jokes that at least local businesses can benefit as a result.
“Keeping the food pantry going is a big thing for a lot of people,” she says.