CHICOPEE, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - In the middle of the summer, food assistance might be one of the last things on your mind. But the heat of the season is driving an increase of guests and adding a greater demand to local pantries. Western Mass News spoke with representatives from some of those pantries to learn why all it takes is a helping hand.

The temperatures across western Mass are getting hotter and local food pantries are feeling the heat, “we’re definitely seeing an increase in pantry guests and dinner guests. You know, there’s definitely a need,” said Kim Caisse, over at Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen and Pantry in Chicopee — it’s becoming harder to feed the mouths of those who need it most.

Between federal funding cuts, a higher cost of living, and a lowered number of donations, the pantry is seeing some of its busiest hours in the dog days of summer, “we’re actually even seeing people that need to get more involved volunteering because of, you know, the SNAP benefits requirements and things like that. Which is, you know, good that we have, you know, those people to access. But, you know, it’s still very difficult for people, you know, that do receive them that are not receiving benefits,” Caisse said.

This is where you come in — as food banks like Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen try to keep up with demand, the continued support from the community helps to fuel the supply. Lorraine’s specifically asked for your donation of non-perishables like rice, pasta, soup, cereals, and canned meats and fruits.

The pantry also accepts monetary donations, whether it’s in-person with a check or through their website, “it’s just a basic need. People need to eat. People need food. And the grocery prices, you know, grocery stores, the prices have gone up drastically, you know, so your buck isn’t going as far as it used to,” Caisse said.

Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday for you to make a difference.

Western Mass News also reached out to the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, they said in a statement saying, “The Food Bank is doing its best to keep up with demand for food assistance despite cuts to the federal food nutrition program that supplies about 30% of our inventory every year. We rely on support from the community to invest in our mission to build lasting food security by providing nutritious food and partnering with communities to end hunger.”

For more on how you can get involved, you can visit the Food Bank of Western Mass’ website.

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