WEIRTON, W.Va. — On this Tackle Hunger Tuesday, we are taking you to a food pantry in Weirton that is helping feed hundreds of its neighbors every month.
It’s all part of our Souper Bowl of Caring, a program to help communities stock local food pantries after the holidays.
Tara Shepherd, program administrator of the Community Bread Basket says the Community Bread Basket feeds hundreds of families a month.
“I’ve been doing this for 17 years. Every year it seems to get harder, funding is short everywhere. To be able to know we’re actually directly helping someone is amazing.”
Tara Shepherd, program administrator of the Community Bread Basket
But those 400 families aren’t the only ones they help. Ten to 20 families turn to here for utility assistance and others also go here for clothing and baby items.
Still, volunteers say the food pantry is the biggest service they do, and some of the food they give out comes in blessing boxes — something that’s taken off since COVID.
They have produce, meats, breads, and baked goods — as well as boxed and canned goods — to give out. Businesses and churches as well as the people in the community.
Shepherd says, “Anything is a help. Anything is positive. Anything is greatly appreciated because anything we can give our clients, they’re just super happy to get.”
Not only does it mean a lot to the clients — but also to Shepherd.
“Every once in a while, we get a thank you card or something on our Facebook. It really helps me continue to drive forward and do my job, Shepherd says.
The Community Bread Basket continues to feed families in the Brooke and Hancock area — and they always welcome donations.
If you’d like to donate to the organization, Shepherd says you could donate non-perishable foods, diapers, wipes, and anything for babies. But if you’d like to give a money donation, head to WTRF.com to the Souper Bowl of Caring.
