Elgin Salvation Army food supply dwindling

Officials at the Elgin Salvation Army have put out a pre-emptive call for more food donations, saying if they don't get more support soon they could run out of food in a month or sooner.

"We're not totally out yet. We don't want to be caught like in November (2008) when we ran out," Major Ken Nicolai said.

Nicolai said increasing requests for help have stretched supplies at the Salvation Army offices in Elgin and Carpentersville.

Nicolai said in the first two weeks of March the organization gave food, clothing and utility and rent assistance to 487 families or 1,444 people.

This is closing in on the 587 families, or 1,743 people, helped in all of February. As a result, officials have had to scale back weekly food distribution from a five-day supply to a three-day supply.

The recession has hit Elgin and Carpentersville harder than other areas, at least when it comes to the unemployment rate.

For January 2009, the most recent figures available, unemployment stood at 12 percent and 13.1 percent for Elgin and Carpentersville, respectively.

Those figures were up from 8.9 percent and 10 percent unemployment in Elgin and Carpentersville, respectively, for January 2008, said Greg Rivara, spokesman for the Illinois Department of Employment Security.

The state's unemployment rate is 7.9 percent.

"That explains why more people are coming here in recent months. We're steadily getting increases each week," Nicolai said.

Overall, 333 families in March have requested food assistance and it is the No. 1 need by far. Nicolai said nonperishable food, especially canned tuna and chicken, are needed, along with plastic grocery bags.

He has faith that Elginites won't see the latest Salvation Army request as the group crying wolf.

"The Elgin community has been very good to us. I think they all understand. Everybody knows somebody who's lost their job," Nicolai said. "People know it's a serious need. They know the numbers are large and they know people need help."

Donations can be dropped off at 316 Douglas Ave., Elgin, or 150 S. Kennedy Driver, Suite 8B, Meadowdale Mall, Carpentersville.

Volunteers are needed on Fridays to sort, bag and distribute food.

For more information, call (847) 741-2304 or (847) 428-5138.