SALISBURY — The Salisbury Association presented its 1741 Award to Amanda Halle of the Corner Food Pantry at a reception Saturday, Aug. 3.

Association President Jeanette Weber said the award is given to individuals and organizations that do “exemplary work” for the town and its residents

The reception was for the opening of an exhibit on the Corner Food Pantry.

The eye-catching panel laid out graphically the dramatic increase in food pantry use from the 2019 (pre-COVID pandemic) and 2023 (post-COVID pandemic).

The number of families served more than doubled in that time period, from 2,350 in 2019 to 5,400 in 2023.

Individuals served went from 9,300 in 2019 to 22,800 in 2023, an increase of 145%.

The comparative figures in the charts show the ever-increasing demand of our services between 2019 (pre-pandemic) and the end of year, 2023. During the first six months of 2024 we had 170 new registrants. As these figures demonstrate, the steady uptick in the number of families in need have resulted in an increased need for additional volunteers and substantial increase in the Corner Food Pantry’s food costs.The Corner Food Pantry

Nancy Bayersdorfer, a food pantry board member and volunteer, said that the Corner Food Pantry has no specific catchment area, and the volunteers regularly serve people from New York and Massachusetts as well as Connecticut.

There is no means test. “If you feel you need food,” said Bayersdorfer. “You can get food.”

Bayersdorfer gave a reporter a quick tour of the food pantry Monday morning, Aug. 5. The shelves were a little on the bare side after food was distributed the previous Friday and Saturday, but there was plenty of donated food, including a large donation from Lime Rock Park, waiting to be sorted.

The Corner Food Pantry is at 80 Sharon Road in Lakeville, by St. Mary Catholic Church.

For more info visit thecornerfoodpantry.org.

Patrick L. Sullivan

Nancy Bayersdorfer checked out a recent donation to the Corner Food Pantry from Lime Rock Park, yet to be sorted.