Officials from Tempe food banks said response from ASU and the local community has helped them through a slump in donations, but there is still work to be done for the holiday season.
Steve Sparks, spokesman for the Tempe Community Action Agency at 2150 E. Orange Street, said his agency recently received about 200 pounds of food from the University’s political science department.
This is in addition to a flood of donations from individuals and organizations in the Tempe community, he said.
“It’s really a testament to the community, the way they stepped up for this food bank,” Sparks said. “We’ve been very fortunate.”
The outpouring of donations, which came over a period of about three weeks, came in response to an agency press release in October saying their food supply was dangerously low.
Brenda Langston, an office specialist with the University’s political science department, said she heard about the crisis on the local news and felt the need to help.
“With the economy the way it is, it seems more important than ever to help out people less fortunate than us,” Langston said.
Sparks said the state of the economy and numerous home foreclosures have caused both a rise in the number of families in need and a drop in donations.
“We’ve never been that low,” Sparks said of the agency’s food supply throughout September and October. “We’ve never had practically nothing on our shelves.”
Much of the food donated by the political science department was sent to the Tempe Community Economic Development Alliance at 930 W. Broadway Road to be distributed. Dyanne Jackson, spokeswoman for the alliance, said the situation is getting desperate for many Tempe families.
“We have so many families that are losing their homes and their jobs,” Jackson said. “Many of them have to choose between eating and putting a roof over their heads.”
Sparks said the boost in donations has helped the alliance out of its slump, but it is still in need of donations for its holiday food and toy drive in November.
“Currently we feel very good, but that can change from week to week,” Sparks said.
George Eastlick of the Tempe Salvation Army at 40 E. University Drive said the agency is working with the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering to organize a holiday food drive. Eastlick said he was grateful to the students, faculty and staff for their efforts in the last month, including a food drive by the Interfraternity Council that raised almost 700 pounds in donated food.
“ASU has been a tremendous help to us,” Eastlick said.
Jackson said the Tempe alliance was stretched “very thin.” Food shipments that used to last a week now rarely last more than three days, she said.
“It is of extreme importance that we help these families,” she said. “Even if [students] can’t donate, they can come in and volunteer.”
Reach the reporter at derek.quizon@asu.edu.
