FISH Food Pantry gets huge grant

ROSEBURG, Ore. -- The FISH Food Pantry in Roseburg just got a $20,000 grant from the Oregon Community Foundation, and the men and women who work at the pantry couldn't be happier.

John Sloan, the FISH Board President, told KPIC News how much the money will help the pantry. "Every grant or every donation, no matter how small, or every food donation all adds up and helps, and we need all of that to be successful," he said.

The pantry feeds 1,000 families each month.

Sloan says it's one of the largest grants they've ever received. "The timing couldn't be better," he said. "Over the last year, the Federal USDA Commodity Food, which is free to food pantries, has dropped by 50%."

That means they've had to buy more food and hold more food drives.

The $20,000 will feed about about 250 families for 6-8 months.

Sloan says they thought 2009 was the worst of the recession, but since that time, the pantry has seen a demand for food from 20% more families.