The Casper Journal :: Casper's Community Newspaper

Like Old Mother Hubbard’s cupboard, the shelves at Casper’s Salvation Army are looking mighty bare.

The Salvation Army’s food supply is so low, in fact, that Capt. Dan Wilson estimates that the current stock will last about a month. With Christmas just a few months away, the supply is at a critical level.

The Salvation Army helps hundreds of families in Casper each year. The majority of those families are enrolled in government assistance programs, and the organization is able to provide for them by purchasing food with different grants.

However, a lot of other people are not in that system, but they depend on the Salvation Army for help. They may be new to town and looking for help, or they may have just experienced a hardship that requires immediate assistance.

Whatever the case may be, Wilson estimates than anywhere from one-third to one-half of the people who the Salvation Army helps are not enrolled in any programs; they just need help.

Those are the people who really need assistance right now. The food purchased with grant money is piled high, ready to be given out n but that food is set aside to help people enrolled in various programs.

In order to help the people not enrolled in those programs, the Salvation Army relies on donations from people, businesses and other groups; the grant money the Salvation Army receives comes with strict guidelines on how it can be used.

There are several ways you can help:

* Donate food or money. The Salvation Army’s office is located at 441 S. Center. The folks there will be glad to take donations of cash, nonperishable food items that haven’t expired or even perishable items that can be frozen.

* Organize a food drive. Wilson is hoping churches, businesses or other groups will start drives and encourage their employees or members to donate.

* There’s a box just inside the front door of the Casper Journal office at 210 S. Wolcott. The next time you’re in the area, you can donate your items here.

For more information on how you can help, call the Salvation Army at 234-2002. A lot of folks in Natrona County could use a helping hand right now.

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