Cupboard Bare at Martin Luther King Center's Food Pantry

NEWPORT, RI— The cupboard is just about bare at the Martin Luther King Center's Food Pantry, according to Marilyn Warren.

Warren said the Hunger Center will not be able to make it through the coming two months, unless the donations start pouring in.

She's appealing to Newport County residents to drop off non-perishable items, especially canned fish and meat, cereal, jams and jellies, canned soup, side dishes -- like rice, stuffing, potatoes and pasta -- juices and coffee.

"If it's non-perishable food, we need it," she said. But these nine categories are high-priority, she added.

• Canned Meats (Chicken, SPAM, salmon, tuna, hash, chili)
• Prepared Soups (esp. Progresso, Chunky)
• Cereals and Oatmeal
• Side dishes (rice, pasta, stuffing, potato)
• Canned fruit in juice, not syrup
• Canned veggies (esp. peas, mixed veg, creamed corn and beets)
• Jelly/Jam
• Juices/Coffee/Tea
• Miscellaneous but Rare (mayo, ketchup, mustard, baking items, cooking oils, salad dressings, spices).

Warren said the Food Pantry relies on the Rhode Island Community Food Bank for provisions. But the Food Bank's also struggling.

"Food donations to the RI Community Food Bank are in decline and what is available lacks variety," she said. "That means we're using cash resources to purchase food we can't get at the Food Bank."

Despite the issues, the center has already handed out 106,000 meals so far this year, she said. The "Hunger Services programs are a critically important safety net for our community," she maintained.

"Seniors, singles, moms, dads and their kids look to us for food year-round," she said. "SNAP benefits -- for those who qualify -- are just that: supplemental. As an example, a single senior receives less than $16.00 per month in nutrition assistance benefits."

To find out more, contact Alyson Novick at 401-846-4828, ext. 102 or to deliver a donation Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., go to the loading dock at the MLK Center, 20 Dr. Marcus F. Wheatland Blvd., Newport, and ring the bell on the left.

Photo Caption: Empty shelves and a few canned goods were all to be found Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the Food Pantry.