Drive-thru Food Drive Helps Sustain Burrows Center Food Pantry
Omaha residents stopped by three Bucky’s convenience store locations on Tuesday, May 12, to donate hundreds of non-perishable food items to benefit The Salvation Army’s Burrows Center food pantry, which has experienced a spike in demand during the COVID-10 pandemic. Sponsored by Boomer Radio, and supported by volunteers from the UNO Zeta Tau Alpha sorority and the UNO Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, the drive-thru food drive collected monetary donations and food from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
An on-duty Nebraska state trooper who had pulled into the Bucky’s parking lot on 108th and M streets to adjust his vehicle antenna stopped at the food drive table to slip a donation into the red kettle. “People are suffering; I see it every day,” he said. “Thank you for helping the folks who really need help.”
The Burrows Center traditionally fills around 8,000 grocery orders per year for people in need from all parts of Omaha. Recently, demand for food at Burrows has increased by as much as 500%. During March alone, the Burrows Center filled more than 1,350 food pantry orders, making it a challenge to keep the shelves sufficiently stocked.
With unemployment numbers at a level not seen since the Great Depression and continuing to rise, The Salvation Army anticipates that the demand for food and other basic necessities will also continue to grow.
“We expect to see many more people coming to us for food, as well as for help paying utility bills and other needs -- including people who’ve never asked for help before,” said Maj. Greg Thompson, divisional commander for The Salvation Army Western Division. “In light of this increased need, we are so grateful for the community’s generous support.”
If you missed the drive-thru food drive this week but would still like to support the food pantry and The Salvation Army’s human needs services (including material assistance and housing), please consider making a monetary donation online. Thank you!