Pastor Adam Justice and Director Pat George gather some frozen goods for a family in need of emergency food Sunday.
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — With news earlier this month of the financial struggles of Mountaineer Food Bank in Gassaway, local food pantries are hopeful the food bank will pull through.
Mountaineer Food Bank serves food pantries in 48 of West Virginia’s 55 counties with affordable food for their operations.
If the struggling food bank were to close, there would be a ripple effect throughout the state, with that worst-case scenario impacting many food pantries, including the North View United Methodist Church Food Pantry, Pastor Adam Justice and Pantry Director Pat George said.
Justice and George say they are hoping for the best, and they are expecting the food bank to get back on its feet.
“It’s concerning, but it seems like people are responding and helping them out,” Justice said. “They’re not out of the woods yet, but if the worst would happen and they would shut down, it would affect us greatly.
“Last month, our food order was just shy of 3,000 pounds. It was 2,800 pounds of food, and we only paid $175 for it. Where else can you go and get 3,000 pounds of food for $175…