Certain entities in every community exist only to serve those who need help the most. So what happens when those providers run the risk of being unable to continue to provide?

The Wayside Food Bank has been providing a service to families in need in the Cobb Neck area since 2004, opening its doors once a month to those who need food, but are unable to acquire it. Now, President Joanne Martin said, the bank is in need of the assistance and kindness of others to continue to function.

“The dedication of volunteers is awesome,” Martin said. “We would be unable to continue our work without the devotion of the churches and community. Unfortunately, the number of neighbors who need help has significantly increased while our inflow of help and donations has not.”

Martin said that given the tough economic times, she “would be shocked” if other area food banks had not run into difficulties maintaining their resources to continue functioning effectively enough to serve local families.

Indeed, Martin is correct.

Sandy Washington, executive director of LifeStyles of Maryland in La Plata, said that there has been an “unbelievable increase” in the number of people seeking the assistance of area food pantries.

“We’re partnered very closely with the La Plata United Methodist Church, and they’re currently overrun with families in need of assistance,” Washington said. “They’ve doubled, if not tripled, their numbers in the last several months.”

Washington said that for many families in need of aid, food is the one thing that they can really keep under control.

“With the passing of the holidays, families in need tend to receive a lot of donations, but people need food year-round,” she said.

For most food pantries, Washington said, donations and purchase are the only viable solutions, but most pantries cannot afford the amount of food necessary to maintain a consistent supply.

LifeStyles receives food from the federal Department of Agriculture and also partners with the state, from which they receive “around 6,000 to 10,000 pounds” of food a month. But it’s not enough.

“By the time we get the food, it’s already gone,” she said.

Last month alone, the Wayside Food Bank served 70 families approximately 260 people, Martin said. As in the past, these people were provided with the necessary supplies through the sheer goodwill of others.

To try and remedy the situation, Martin said, an informational meeting will be held at 7 tonight for potential volunteers.

“Attending is not a committment to volunteer, but merely a chance to hear about how we operate and specifically where we could use your ideas and support,” Martin said.

Currently, the Wayside Food Bank also uses grant money and “sporadic donations” from area businesses to keep going. The meeting will allow attendees to offer potential alternative solutions for fundraising and donations that perhaps might not have been considered yet.

“We want people to think outside the box,” Martin said. “There’s more to it than just monetary and food donations.”

lrenner@somdnews.com

If you go

The Wayside Food Bank will hold a meeting for volunteers past, present and future at 7 p.m. Jan. 18 at the Swan Point Clubhouse, Issue.

For more information, call Joanne Martin at 301-259-2599 or email jolordmar@aol.com.