The Marshall-Waterloo Food Pantry is seeing increased traffic this fall, with the rising cost of living, and is preparing to return to its pre-pandemic registration process.
Sue Zingsheim, the pantry’s director, said that pantry staff are seeing more local families register for services right now, due to inflationary costs and the increase in grocery costs. In September alone, the pantry registered nine new families, more than a 10% increase from a total of 80 families in August.
“Some of them come in because of grocery prices,” Zingsheim said. “It’s just so erratic.”
Beginning this month, the food pantry is returning to its pre-pandemic registration process and advising that families should expect more paperwork the next time they arrive.
The reset occurs after more than two years of an expedited process designed to limit contact between pantry employees and clients.
Zingsheim said new clients will now need to provide addresses and contact information, the names and ages of all household members, the names of anyone who may pick up food on their behalf, information regarding income and whether the family receives food stamps. Clients will also once again be required to sign a log recording when and how often they pick up food.
“It’s a lot more paperwork,” Zingsheim said. “But it looks about the same (as before the pandemic). It will just take longer to check in.”
Clients will also regain some choice in the food they receive as precautions are lifted, Zingsheim said.
“During COVID we would bag some of it. Now they can go through and look at the shelves,” she said.
The pantry is located at 117 East Madison Street in Waterloo, on the building’s lower level. It is open Wednesdays from noon to 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., as well as Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
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