Thursday, Patch gave dozens and dozens of non-perishable items donated at the Monday trunk-or-treat event at Cohanzie Fire House to the Waterford Interfaith Food Locker.
And yet, the need remains. Town Hall receptionist Linda Geer, who oversees the food locker for the four Waterford religious institutions who run it, said the need for food in Waterford is greater than ever.
When Geer first started doing the locker, around 20-some-odd people would use it. Now, thanks to the Great Recession, 42 families needed to use the food locker last month, Geer said.
The people who use the food locker are not the perpetually poor or the homeless, but people who have fallen onto hard times, she said. There are people who have mortgages they cannot pay, people who work but have had their hours cut back or people who have just recently lost their jobs, Geer said.
Many of the people say they feel terrible using the food locker, to the point some burst into tears, she said. And yet they have to, to feed their families, Geer said.
"It's sad," she said. "It's really sad."
She tells them that this is just temporary, and they can give back once they bounce back, Geer said. Also all people who use the food locker are kept anonymous, she said.
About the Food Locker
Waterford’s Interfaith Food Locker is run by four Waterford religious institutions: St. Paul in Chains Rectory, Cross Roads Presbyterian Church, St. Ann Melkite Catholic Church and Temple Emanu El.
Each month, one of those four institutions run the food locker. The main job is building food baskets out of the food that was donated for the people who need it.
There are several events to bring in food for the food locker, most notably Waterford Youth Services’ “Stuff the Bus” event. There, elementary school students at all three elementary schools bring in non-perishable food items, and a school bus comes around and picks up those food items to donate them to the locker.
To donate to the food locker, bring non-perishable food items to Geer, who sits at the desk at the front entrance of Town Hall. Town Hall is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
