United Way Seeing Upward Trend in Food Assistance Needs

The June numbers for the United Way’s 211 Call Center are in, showing an increase in the need for food.

The United Way received a total of 917 calls last month, and more than half of those were for food assistance. The United Way partners with Christ’s Table, as well as, other hot meal programs in the area.

“Sadly, we noted an upward trend of those callers requiring food assistance, or assistance with hunger related issues, and unfortunately this isn’t the first month where 50 percent of our calls have been for hunger or food assistance,” said Executive Director, Meg Deedrick.

In an effort to meet the hunger needs of the community, the United Way is introducing a “donation station” at the Zanesville Farmer’s Market. The United Way encourages both vendors and consumers to donate extra produce, all to benefit the Muskingum County Hunger Network.

“Volunteers from the United Way and from the Hunger Network staff a table where they pick up fresh produce, and the fresh produce could be from vendors that may not have sold all of their inventory that day, to get rid of it before it goes bad, or it could be as simple as somebody shopping at the farmer’s market who picks up some fresh produce,” Deedrick said. “That way somebody in the pantry system can have the same great access to fresh produce.”

The “donation station” will be open at the Zanesville Farmer’s Market for the remainder of the season.