How to Help the Salvation Army in St. Charles County

Last month food donations to the Salvation Army in O'Fallon dropped to 3,900 pounds from 20,000 pounds in June, leaving shelves virtually empty.

This comes at a time when the shelter is serving 935 families a month, according to the Salvation Army's blog, which is up 400 percent from two years ago.

A photo of empty shelves at the pantry in O'Fallon spurred media coverage and groups organized food drives for the pantry. 

At the St. Charles Food Pantry, the biggest need right now is for dry goods like rice, macaroni and cheese, cereal and peanut butter, said Captain Ronald Key who runs the Salvation Army on 4th Street in St. Charles. 

The pantry has plenty of canned goods from the U.S. Postal Service food drive in May, but people eat more than canned goods. 

"We don't have the other kinds of stuff that's a staple for most," he said. 

About 90 families come in each month to restock on canned and dry goods. About 200 families come in weekly to pick up fresh vegetables, fruit and bakery products which are donated by Operation Food Search.
Key said this time of year donations are typically lower. The biggest food drives are the Cans Food Festival at Wehrenberg Theaters and the Boy Scouts food drive at the end of the year. 

"This time of year, we survive off of what we collect at Wehrenberg and in May," Key said. 

Here's where you can donate food items over Labor Day Weekend:

• The O'Fallon Corps Community Center, at 1 William Booth Drive, will accept donations from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Call for after hours delivery. 
• St. Charles Salvation Army, 2140 N. 4th Street. 
• Mobil Gas station, 1051 Hampton Avenue. 
• BP Amaco Gas Station, 3140 Olive Street.
• Check out additional opportunities posted on the Salvation Army's blog.