The Upshur County Shares Food Pantry, sponsored by the Upshur County Ministerial Fellowship, has experienced a banner year, officials say.

An association with the East Texas Food Bank in Tyler has enabled the pantry to obtain just over 70,000 pounds—35 tons—of food since April.

It has been distributed to households in the county which represent more than 5,000 individuals.

“We see this as a respectable number,” a news release from the pantry said. “We are still running about 15 to 20 percent new applicants weekly.”

The release said that people are still losing jobs, but some said they would not need further help because they have found employment.

The Food Pantry is open Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Family units are eligible for one box of food monthly in keeping with the recommendations of the Food Bank, said Dr. Don Warden, who helps coordinate the project.

The pantry’s weekly schedule starts Monday morning as they open their building at 210 W. Buffalo St. in downtown Gilmer, and they begin distributing food to their clients.

An order is turned into the Food Bank through their Internet site by noon Monday.

Wednesday is another distribution day, and on Thursday, a group of volunteers takes a truck, sometimes with a trailer, to pick up the order, which is waiting at the Food Bank loading dock at 1:30 p.m.

“Because several hundred pantries are served from Tyler, they have to be organized in a very business-like fashion,” Dr. Warden said. “Our average order is around 3,000 to 3,500 pounds of canned goods, frozen foods and produce.”

This is locaed and they return to the Gilmer pantry, where volunteers from Etex Telephone are waiting to help unload.

“The Pantry is indebted to our volunteers and very proud of their contribution,” Dr. Warden said. “Without them, we could not operate. The same can be said about everyone who has contributed in any way to our operation.”