I am a volunteer at a local food pantry in downtown Belleville. I truly enjoy serving clients who come for help, and we have a lot of clients each month. The food pantry depends on donations, both food and money, from private citizens, churches and businesses.

Clients are allowed to come once a month and to bring a grocery list of 12 items they need or would like to receive in addition to what we are allowed to give according to family size and what the pantry has on hand, mostly from donations.

I am amazed at how many of the lists have oysters, steak, candy, shrimp and potato chips on them. Meat given is hot dogs, hamburger, canned tuna and the like. Steak, shrimp and oysters are never donated. Once in a while candy is donated and we put it in a basket on the front main counter. The first three or four clients empty the basket into their pockets.

Why do people ask for steak, shrimp and oysters? I would be grateful to receive anything a food pantry could give me if I needed food. Steak, shrimp, oysters can be bought only by them with their money.

Donna Kepner

Belleville