Downstate food pantries showing strain

BELLEVILLE, Ill. — Food pantries in southwestern Illinois say they are straining under the demand caused by the struggling economy.

John Clatanoff of the O'Fallon Community Food Pantry say the number of families served by his organization is going up. Clatanoff says the perception may be that things are getting better and demand is slowing, but the opposite is true.

Clatanoff says demand has increased by 15 percent a year since 2007, but might level off a bit this year, with a 5- to 10-percent increase in demand.

Jerry Messick of the Community Interfaith Food Pantry in Belleville says this is the worst time of year for food pantry donations. He says pantries collect a lot of food from schools. Once school is out for the summer, things dry up.