Food Pantries Are Running Low, One Local Organization Steps In To Help Out

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- Business closings and temporary layoffs have many people turning to local pantries for food, but some of them are running low.

United Way of North Central Mississippi saw the need and is stepping in to fill in the gap.

“The first concern that came to everyone’s mind was how are we going to feed all of the people that are going to find themselves without a way to be able to purchase food,” said Candy Crecink, executive director for United Way of North Central Mississippi.

That concern quickly led her to creating a COVID-19 Food Drive.

Pounds on top of pounds of non-perishable items filled boxes box, and in minutes they went from from being empty and bare, to overflowing with dozens of canned goods and packaged items.

“That’s what United Way is all about,” said Crecink. “We bring people together to help each other. We’re the community, we are the fiber that makes the connection.”

“Doing a food drive like this when we have so many of our own neighbors that are in need, I think it’s incredibly important,” said Hagan Walker, who’s a Unite Way Board Member.

Walker was one of the many people to drop off donations.

He said he felt compelled to help those who are in need.

“People that had a job last week might not have one right now, and just knowing that there’s security to at least have some of the bare essentials that you need, that’s what we are here for and that’s what we really want to take care of,” said Walker.

While United Way is taking care of residents, over at Mississippi State, the newly formed Bully’s Closet and Pantry is taking care of students.

“What we’re doing now is we have pre-made bags which have a little over a weeks worth of food for the students, said Montelleo Hobley, Coordinator for the Behavioral Intervention Team. “The student will come in, they will fill out a form, we will check to make sure they are at least enrolled in one credit hour. They will tell us what they need, we will add that to the bag, and then we will give them a bag and send them on their way.”

Hobley works with the food pantry and said they make roughly 65 bags a day to give away to students.

Volunteers said these kinds of selfless acts define what it means for a community to come together as one.

“We’re filling our shelf and then we’re also making sure our community is good as well, because we want to make sure that we know that this is bigger than Mississippi State, and this is bigger than Starkville, this is a thing that we all have to come together on right now,” said Hobley.

The United Way will have drop off locations set up outside both Walmart stores, Kroger, Vowells Market Place, and the Starkville Daily News.

If anyone is interested in making donations to Bully’s Closet and Pantry, you can drop everything off on the backside of the building or click on the highlighted link for more information.