Food Pantry Hosts Christmas Dinner for Moon-Area Clients

Sandy Hersberger said it gives her a chance to catch up with the community.

The director, who has been at the helm of the Moon-based nonprofit for more than two decades, said the organization's annual Christmas dinner allows her to mingle with those who patronize the pantry.

The holiday get-together included free dinners to those who regularly seek the pantry's assistance, along with crafts for children and a visit from Santa Claus.

Pantry volunteers whisked plates by the tray-full across the gathering hall as clients sat down to the tune of Christmas carols. Those in attendance raved about the food.

"It's nice for it to not be all about business," she said, after the final plates of chicken and mashed potatoes were served. "You get to go out and say hello to people."

The food pantry's clientele has steadily grown in recent months, serving more 200 families each week, compared to about 140 families per week at the start of the recession, Hershberger said. Pantry volunteers say the uptick in clientele could serve as a barometer for the uneasy economic recovery.

"When we first started [hosting the Christmas dinner] we would see maybe 80 people, maybe 100 people sign up," Hersberger said of the pantry's early Christmas dinners more than 20 years ago.

This year, nearly 300 people signed up for the dinner, though by the pantry's count the actual turnout was less.

Use of food banks and pantries nationwide is on the rise. The charity Feeding America, of which the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank is a member, reports that 54 percent of its clients nationwide are frequent users, visiting food pantries for a period of at least six months during the past year.

Food pantries may have become a long-term strategy for families to cope with the sluggish economy, according to Feeding America.

Hershberger said the West Hills Food Pantry has felt the pinch. She said though more people seek the organization's services, donations throughout the year have slowed in comparision to years past. 

The holidays are an especially busy time for the pantry, Hershberger said. The pantry today is seeking donations for its Christmas shop, where it will offer free gifts to clients. The event will be held tomorrow.

"We do see an increase during the holidays," Hershberger said. "And a lot of it is genuine. People get laid off, and they come to us."