Volunteer workers at the Jeanerette Food Pantry are hoping the empty pantry shelves will once again be filled before the start of the holiday season.

Volunteers and organizers of the annual KLFY/TV 10 Food for Families FoodNet Drive are counting on the generosity of the community to make it possible to provide the help needed to less fortunate families in the Jeanerette area.

First Church of God in Christ will team up with KLFY as the annual food drives kicks off throughout Acadiana on Wednesday, Dec. 10.

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Linda Broussard, chairman of the local drop-off site, said it is essential for the local drive to be a success if the pantry is to continue distributing food.

“Our shelves are bare and with the condition of the economy there are more people asking for help,” said Broussard.

“We’re really counting on the drive to be a big success or we won’t make it through the next four months.”

The First Church of God in Christ dropoff site located at 1901 Martin Luther King Drive will remain open from 6 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Broussard said the December drive usually provides enough food to keep the pantry shelves filled through May when the postal carriers hold their annual drive.

Broussard, who has been involved with the drive for the last five years, said those in need are having to do with a little less food every month.

“I never remember seeing the pantry shelves this empty,” she said. “We’ve been dividing it up as best we can.”

According to Broussard, all food collected during the one day drive will remain in Jeanerette to be distributed through the Jeanerette Food Pantry operated by First Church of God in Christ.

Businesses, schools, churches, clubs and organizations are all invited to team up with First Church of God to make the drive a success.

St. Charles Street Elementary School 4-H members started a food drive early last month at the school.

“They want to make sure they do their part. Each class is collecting goods and the class who has collected the most will have a pizza party,” said Renee T. Savoy, 4-H leader.

“The students usually collect about 600 to 1,000 canned goods.

With the monetary contributions, Broussard said the pantry is able to purchase food through Second Harvest at discounted prices.

Organizers are hoping to collect 5,000 pounds of food items.

Food pantry volunteer Towanna Linzer said there is a need for almost everything that is non-perishable.

“We’re getting a lot of calls from people that need help not only for food but for clothing, school uniforms and coats,” she said.

Linzer said the pantry provides help to approximately 40 families each month.

“We have a lot of families who depend on this food to help them get through the month,” she said.

Only non-perishable food items, along with monetary donations will be accepted.

Suggested food items include staples such as rice, pasta, flour, sugar, dried potatoes, sups and beans.

Canned goods such as milk, vegetables, peanut butter, baking products, boxed mixes, breakfast foods and other boxed products are needed.

Personal hygiene items, paper products, toilet tissue, baby supplies and detergents are also in big demand.