By LOIS KINDLE
lekindle@aol.com
Our Lady's Pantry has been a lifeline for local residents facing food insecurity for the past 27 years. The volunteer-run ministry provides groceries to families in 
need throughout the South Shore area while relying on community support to sustain its efforts.
Today, like many nonprofits in these challenging economic times, this community resource is facing growing demand, rising costs and fewer donations and volunteers.
“With the cost of food going up, there are more clients now coming for food than ever,” said pantry manager Tom Bularro. “We give out a lot of food — more than a ton of it weekly — about 70 pounds to each family of four. Larger families receive even more.
“I have to buy and pay for food every week,” he continued. Since both food and monetary donations are down, we have less food and less money to meet our increasing needs. Fuel costs are now close to $1,000 each month, and the food we need to buy costs more than $2,000 per week. And that doesn’t cover all of our expenses.”
The number of pantry volunteers has also declined.
“They’re just not coming around as much, but thank God for the ones who do,” Bullaro said. “About 20 of them have been volunteering for five or more years.
Our Lady’s Pantry volunteers greet a family Saturday morning and load about 70 pounds of food into their vehicle. Each recipient receives a box of nonperishable groceries, fresh produce, meat based on family size, bakery items, dairy products, cereal and juice.
“If anybody can come even one morning a week, it would help,” he added. “This is a fellowship. We are doing God’s work by feeding the hungry and helping the poor.”
While volunteers help distribute food on Saturdays from 7:30 to 10 a.m., the pantry also needs volunteers from 8 a.m. to noon each day — except on Thursdays and Sundays — to collect, sort and pack food to keep its shelves stocked and the program running.
“We currently have about 55 active volunteers, and we need more,” said co-director Kim Kordaski. “They come whenever they can, and whenever they do we’re grateful.”
Each family receives 70 pounds of food every other week, and the pantry currently serves at least 650 families per month.
“Each recipient gets a full box of nonperishable groceries, a box of produce, meat according to the size of the family, bakery items, dairy, cereal and juice,” she said. “We fill every trunk.”
Kim Corbin, an Our Lady’s Pantry volunteer for the past three years, selects fresh produce for distribution to families facing food insecurity. Along with produce, recipients receive a variety of essential food items to help meet their household needs.
Our Lady’s Pantry accepts donations from the community of nonperishable food items, including staples like soup, pasta, tomato sauce, canned tuna, chicken and peanut butter. Publix, Aldi, Sprouts, Sam’s Club, Costco, Winn Dixie and the Nativity Food Bank also make donations. The pantry’s two refrigerated trucks pick up donations of bakery items, eggs, produce, dairy, water and some prepared foods up to four days a week. The Knights of Columbus of Sun City Center, in conjunction with Prince of Peace Catholic Church, collects food and cash donations each month. Feeding Tampa Bay supplies USDA donations.
It may sound like a lot, but more is required to meet growing demand.
“During the holidays, we also want to give every family a holiday turkey,” Kordaski said. “We will appreciate any amount people have in their hearts to give.”
If you’d like to make a difference in your community, Our Lady's Pantry welcomes volunteers, food donations and financial support. Food or cash donations are accepted on workdays at 16650 U.S. 301 S, behind Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Wimauma, or checks can be made out to Our Lady’s Pantry and sent in care of the church to the same address, Wimauma, FL 33598.
To join its team of volunteers, just show up and ask for Kim.