F.E.A.S.T. Food Pantry Needs Donations

When you're out shopping over the next few weeks, the folks at the F.E.A.S.T. Food Pantry would greatly appreciate it if you'd pick up a few extra items to donate to their organization. 

The food bank is located in Palm Harbor, but it helps put food on the table for needy families throughout North Pinellas County.  Director, Walt Anderson says because of our bad economy, more and more families are using the food bank, but donations have not kept up with demand. 

"Busy is an understatement. We've had 18-25 new families per week over the last eight weeks, which is well over 3,000 people a month," he said.

Anderson says F.E.A.S.T. is now buying 30 to 40 percent of the food that is being distributed, which is putting a strain on the non-profit organization.

"It seems like we're starting to run out of everything going into the holidays. We don't have much of anything." 

Anderson is not sure if or when the demand will let up. He says they're seeing a lot of people who lost their jobs up north and have moved to North Pinellas County and are looking for jobs here.

In addition to food donations, F.E.A.S.T. is in need of toilet paper, cleaning supplies and personal hygiene items. Anderson says these are things that people can't buy with food stamps. People are so desperate, they're using dishwashing detergent for household cleaning, bathing and washing their hair.

F.E.A.S.T. is an acronym for food and emergency service team. The F.E.A.S.T. Food Pantry is located at 2255 Nebraska Ave. 727-789-5275. Hours are 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Tue-Fri. You can email them at feast4food@verizon.net

F.E.A.S.T Food Pantry also accepts monetary donations. Checks and money orders can be made out to FEAST and mailed to 2255 Nebraska Ave, Palm Harbor, FL, 34683.