As the price of everything, from a can of coffee to a loaf of bread to a gallon of gas continues to rise, it makes it more difficult for people to make ends meet and put food on the table.

Hilda Matson, coordinator of the food pantry at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, said as of April 1, about 500 people had used the service.

“We are over the numbers from last year,” Matson said.

For example, in January of 2007, 37 people visited the pantry; this January, there were 55 people who visited.

Matson said since August of last year, she has seen people return to the pantry who hadn’t needed the service for some time.

“They can’t make ends meet,” she said.

The pantry, which is operated by the Viroqua Ministerial Association, was established the Rev. Roger Hjelle in 1987. Matson said he “found there was a need” for such a service.

“Good Shepherd had the room and it is centrally located,” Matson said. “That is why it is here.”

The pantry follows the same guidelines as WAFER, a food pantry in La Crosse.

For example, the pantry does not accept outdated food items or home-canned foods.

The pantry at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church is open Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1 to 3 p.m.

“People can show up; there are no restrictions,” Matson said.

As food donations arrive, volunteers help restock the shelves and bag up the groceries according to family size — one to two, three to five or six to eight people.

“Some other food pantries do it differently,” Matson said.

People who come to the pantry also receive a voucher to purchase milk at Village Market.

Matson said the pantry “needs a little bit of everything.”

There is always a need for toilet paper and cereal, she said. The pantry also accepts donations of toiletries, such as shampoo and soap.

The shelves are stocked through the generosity of individuals, churches and other organizations.

“One can, one box, one package make a big difference,” Matson said.

“The postal drive is a big help,” she said. “The Boy Scouts had a drive, but it was small because the weather was bad.”

Anyone interested in making donations of nonperishable food or personal hygiene items, may drop them off on the bench located in the education wing on the west side of the church off the rear parking lot.

Donation checks may be made payable to Good Shepherd Food Pantry and mailed to: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 504 S. Main St., Viroqua, WI 54665 or to Hilda Matson, E7846 State Hwy. 56, Viroqua, WI 54665.

The Bethel Butikk Food Pantry and Thrift Shop, 341 Black River Ave., Westby, has also seen an increase in the number of people who use the pantry.

Pastor Gary Daines said an average of 880 people per month have been visiting the food pantry.

“It’s up at least 25 percent compared to last year,” Daines said.

The pantry and thrift store is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday and 9 a.m. until noon the first Saturday of the month.

Monetary donations may be mailed to or dropped off at Bethel Butikk.

“We buy a lot of food from Second Harvest,” Daines said. “For every dollar donated as a rule I can get $10 to $15 worth of groceries.”

America’s Second Harvest was founded in 1979. The nearest Second Harvest food bank is in Madison.

“It’s not unusual to buy a $5 to $6 box of cereal for 15 to 18 cents. “The money can go a long way.”

Daines said there is always a need for donations of shampoo, soaps and other personal care items.

The thrift store also takes in donations of clothing and household items.

“We take in anything that is usable,” he said. “If there is a fire, for example, families pick up what they need for free.

“During the flood, $20,000 was given out [to help with] personal needs, furniture and stuff people lost in the flood,” Daines continued.

Daines said profits from the thrift store go to buy groceries for the food pantry and meet other needs people may have.

For example, checks may be written for rent assistance or fuel assistance.

Living Faith Food Pantry, located in Living Faith Church, 852 N. Main St., Viroqua, like the other two pantries has also seen an increase in people using its services.

“We have over 100 families a month,” said Marval Peterson, coordinator of the food pantry. “It depends on if those families are eight- to nine-person families then we have more people. Families right now are not that large — ones, twos and threes.

“We have all walks of life. There used to be more seniors,” Peterson continued.

“The maximum has been 120 for a month; generally it’s 105,” she said.

In 2007, a total of 1,131 family units were served by the pantry.

Peterson said the pantry at Living Faith Church, is one of four TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program) food pantries in Vernon County. The others are Bethel Butikk in Westby, The Good Samaritan in Hillsboro and New Hope United Methodist Church in De Soto.

The TEFAP program provides food to food pantries, meal sites and shelters. Couleecap acts as an Emergency Food Organization handling the distribution of TEFAP food to pantries in Crawford, La Crosse, Monroe and Vernon counties.

She said these pantries receive a certain amount of food from the government once a month.

“You can’t tell the difference from the food we get from the store and the government food. It’s not a generic can anymore,” Peterson said.

Food donations are always welcome, Peterson said. However, home canned or homemade items are not accepted.

There is always a need for personal care items, cleaning supplies and paper products.

Monetary donations may be sent to Living Faith Food Pantry, 852 N. Main St., Viroqua, WI 54665.

Peterson said she “gleans” as much as she can to fill the pantry’s shelves. She recently secured 86 dozen organic eggs which were too large to meet standards.

“Harmony Valley has fresh organic vegetables — some I’m not familiar with and I have to find out how to fix them,” Peterson said. “At first people weren’t too sure [of the vegetables] now they’ve been a selling point and people come back for more.

“Organic Valley has given meat,” she continued. “We try to glean wherever we can to supplement our food.”

Peterson said the Living Faith Food Pantry is client choice. Clients are given a menu of foods available and can choose the amount of food, depending on the number of people in a household, from the pantry’s shelves. Volunteer workers assist clients in the selection of their groceries.

Clients, Peterson said, may visit the pantry once a month and should visit only one food pantry in the area.

“If there is a financial stress they can come back,” she said.

Peterson said in order to qualify for the food pantry, a client must note on a registration form, his or her gross monthly income, number of people in the household, their ages and birth dates.

Peterson said menus for households from one to 10 people are available. The menus are balanced and include vegetables, fruit and protein. Baked goods from the Cakery and Bake Shop and Village Market are also included.

“What I don’t use I take to Hilda or Hilda takes it to Westby, so it doesn’t go to waste,” Peterson said.

The Living Faith and Good Shepherd pantries work together in other ways, too.

When the U.S. Postal Service holds its food drive, the donations are divided between the two pantries.

Pantry hours at Living Faith are Wednesdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and other times by calling either the church, 637-7470 or 637-3821 for an appointment.