Most people think of donating goods to the food bank during the Holiday season.
But, people are hungry year round. And, the summer months are particularly lean for public pantries.
News Specialist Samantha Hayes, joins us live at the Utah Food Bank ... with a look at how one local store, is trying to help out.
Samantha...
Dick, Bruce, there are four big drives each year for the Utah food bank. And while those, including the Holiday drive in October, bring in more than a million pounds of food, there's a need for a consistent supply, even if small, year round.
So one local store is starting something new...the store called Sur La Table-French for "On the Table."
Organizers hope to put food, on these shelves.
This box is one of the last to be packed up with donated food and sent to one of our local pantries.
JEFF GOLDEN/UTAH FOOD BANK/WHAT WE REALLY NEED IS ALL THIS SHELF SPACE RIGHT HERE TO HAVE SOME FOOD ON IT..
The shelves, and the freezer...
And empty loading space in the middle of the warehouse
JEFF GOLDEN/UTAH FOOD BANK/I'VE SEEN IT LOWER, PROBABLY ONCE THE TWO AND A HALF YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE
SAMANTHA HAYES/ EYEWITNESS NEWS: WALKING DOWN THIS AISLE IT MAY LOOK LIKE THERE'S PLENTY OF FOOD, BUT THIS IS DONATED BY THE USDA, THERE'S ONLY ABOUT 10 PRODUCTS HERE AND ITS ALL REGULATED.
JEFF GOLDEN/UTAH FOOD BANK: HONESTLY IF YOUR ARE TRYING TO FEED A FAMILY OF FOUR AND YOU HAVE JUST THIS AISLE TO WORK OFF OF YOU GOT RAISINS AND POTATOES
Just down the street, a local cooking class is working on lobster bisque and fresh grilled vegetables.
MICHAEL RUSSELL/CHEF: ITS REALLY A VARIED GROUP, PEOPLE WHO LIKE TO COOK ARE JUST PASSIONATE PEOPLE..
And compassionate -- students in the class bring two cans of food for the Food Bank -- and Sur La Table reduces the price to $10 dollars per class.
SUSAN STODDARD/ WEST JORDAN: YOU KNOW WE NEED TO FILL IT UP, WE REALLY DO, WE NEED AT LEAST TWO OR THREE OF THOSE
And two or three, especially each week would really help. Otherwise, the Food Bank is forced to rely on upcoming Holiday donations.
JEFF GOLDEN/UTAH FOOD BANK: IT WOULD BE BETTER TO BE CONSISTENT AND BE ABLE TO ALWAYS HAVE A PRODUCT ON HAND SO PANTRIES KNOW THEY CAN RELY ON US AND THEY DON'T O THROUGH A SERIES OF PEAKS AND VALLEYS AS WELL.
If your interested in taking one of those cooking classes- its ten dollars plus the two cans of food.
The cooking class has only been going on for a month. Organizers say it will continue for at least a year.
August 26, 2002
