East Texas food pantries discuss donating overlooked food items

LUFKIN, Texas (KTRE) – As communities come together to support those in need East Texas food pantries say items including sugar and flour are just as vital as traditional donations.

Jenifer Phillips with the Salvation Army of Lufkin said: “What is best is things that are sealed as much as possible that come in their packaging that they… you would purchase in the store.”

Phillips said they get most of their food from Sam’s club and Walmart, but they still need staple items like canned goods, protein, dry goods, fruits, and vegetables.

She said canned foods with pop-lids are helpful for people without can openers.

“If they have like Vienna sausages and they’re in a popped can then that helps people that might not have resources to heat something up,” said Phillips.

Items people don’t always think about when donating include sugar, flour, tea bags and spices.

Clawson Assembly of God, volunteer Dina Bynog said: “That’s a lot of stuff we can’t really give out, so if people if they want to donate that’s stuff that we can use for our pantry.”

Bynog said their pantry doesn’t get sugar, flour, and canned meats.

“We do get milk, but sometimes the milk don’t last very long because they might go out within a couple, two to three days. So, we try to get the milk out as fast as we can,” said Bynog.

Phillips said one item they try to keep in stock is protein.

“Which is going to be meats, beans, peanut butters, those types of things seem to be the things that are in demand the most,” said Phillips.

She said what you would want to receive is what they want to give.

For those looking to contribute these often-overlooked items can make a big difference in local relief efforts.

You can visit your local food pantry to find out more.