Food bank donors step up
By Emily Babay
Just minutes after Mission for All Nations opened the doors to its food pantry Tuesday night, dozens of people filled the waiting room, eager to stock up on cereal, fruits and vegetables. Cars were double-parked outside the faith-based charity near South 21st and Q Streets.
And that, executive director Mary Anaya said, was a slow night.
The previous week — at the end of the month, when paychecks, unemployment benefits and food stamps run low — more than 400 people received food.
As the economy continues to lag, area food programs are seeing big increases in the number of people seeking help, forcing food banks and pantries to spend more money and be more aggressive in seeking donations and volunteers.
Read more: enterprise, Omaha World-Herald, writing