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These young folks had a day off from school and volunteered to unload the Second Harvest truck for the Botetourt Food Pantry.

"The increase in clientele is huge. We are seeing a lot of younger families now," said Kathy McClung who along with Martha Rodgers, is co-leading the pantry. Two years ago the Botetourt Food Pantry in Fincastle, located St. Mark's Episcopal Church, served over 100 community members per month. In November 2009, the BFP is serving as many as 435 people per month.

Last November, for the first time the Botetourt Food Pantry had to turn to Second Harvest Food Bank in Roanoke and filled the shelves. The need has continued. On Monday November 2, they once again took advantage of a school day off to have students come to the BFP to volunteer and to unload the Second Harvest truck. "We have families now whose main bread winner has been laid off. It's a different group." said Rodgers.

The Botetourt Food Pantry needs donations. Any sorts of canned vegetable and pasta goods still in date, as well as boxes of macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, canned milk, canned meat, and so forth are sought to fill the increased need. Volunteer Lois Switzer told us that on a recent Saturday as a child left with parents, the child inquired of his mother, "Does that mean we can eat more than one meal per day now?" McClung told of an older gentleman who declined cereal because he couldn't afford milk. They are now getting in dried milk from Second Harvest. The BFP will also accept monetary donations to help with the cost of the food that does not get donated.

Right here in Botetourt County hunger does exist.

The Botetourt Food Pantry is also holding a drive for foods to go along with the Thanksgiving turkey-ingredients to make side dishes like mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, yams, canned pumpkin, cranberry sauce, vegetables. They have some churches volunteering to bring packed boxes, but they also expect a large number of people to come on November 14 and 21 to pick up the boxes. "We just hope to get enough to fill the need," said McClung.

She also noted that volunteer youth from North Botetourt County churches like Zion Hill, Mount Bethel and Forest Grove (all Baptist Churches) and Boy Scouts from Troop 207 have been helping on Saturdays. "And we really could not do with out Lois Switzer and her daughter, Heather Huffman, who are volunteering as well as parishioners from St. Mark's Episcopal congregation who come to help," stated McClung

Brownie Troop 432 worked on a service badge by bagging dry dog and cat food at the Botetourt Food Pantry.

Also on November 2, a visit of Brownies Troop 432 that meets at Fincastle United Methodist Church who came to pack gallon bags of dog and cat food donated by the Roanoke Valley SPCA. Christi Fox one of the troop leaders said, "They discovered at food pantries and Meals on Wheels, that clients were sharing their meager food supplies with their pets. That is why the SPCA is helping the local food pantries. BFP is the one chosen for this county. Each client gets one gallon of dried food per pet per month.

Food can be dropped off at the three county libraries as well as by contacting the St Mark's Episcopal Office at 473-2370, Monday through Thursday.

Brownie Troop 432:

McKayla, Stiltner, Jarrett Neese, Grace Davis, Sage Benningfield, K.J. DeHaven, Lauren Fox, Hanna Michael, Olivia Polumbo, Halla Roberts, Anna Scott, Lauren Stater, Kate Smith, Madeline smith, Leaders Christi Fox, Randy Neese, Mary DeHaven, Sheila Smith and Robin Stiltner.

Student volunteers that unloaded the truck and sorted and shelved:

Ben Downey, Madison Wren, Isaiah Wright, Tiffany McClung, Ella Wright, Jacob Hodges, Tyler Lester, Ian Wright and Josh Bonds.