As School Ends, More Pike Co. Families Need Food

Tools

By Jessica Gertler

Story Created: May 23, 2012 at 5:09 PM CDT

Story Updated: May 24, 2012 at 1:03 AM CDT

From the CBS 8 Troy Newsroom-- With the school year coming to an end, a food bank in Pike County is asking for your help to feed families who qualify for free or low-priced school lunches.

The Pike County Salvation Army is expecting hundreds of families asking for help this summer. CBS 8 News caught up with one mother who says without this food bank, she doesn't know if she would survive.

Six months ago, Savannah Phillips says the unthinkable happened.

"It's really hard for me, because I lost my husband," she says.

Since then, Phillips says the school has provided both breakfast and lunch for her three children.

"For a hot nutritious meal for a child on low-income, it's a big thing when you don't have  it. It really is," she says.

When school lets out, Phillips is predicting her grocery bill to spike $400 each month, which is money she doesn't have. Phillips says this summer, she'll be turning to the Pike County Salvation Army's food bank for relief.

Director Kim May believes the number of families in need of food will be higher than ever this summer, and unless they get more food in, she's afraid they won't have enough to give out.

"It goes pretty quick when there's lots of requests. Just yesterday  five people came in for food. We had five food orders yesterday, so it's already picking up," she says.

May says right now, they're biggest need is protein and dried milk.

The Salvation Army says the best way to help out their efforts is by donating non-perishable food or making a monetary donation.
 
This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.

What's onFull Schedule

Featured Content

Hot Video From AP

AP Video