Business is booming at the Kent Food Pantry on High and Mill Streets in Chestertown. Job losses, foreclosures, and the declining purchasing power of fixed incomes have caused many Kent County residents to seek food donations in greater numbers than ever before, contributing to food insecurity not seen since the Great Depression, according to Kent Food Pantry Director Miriam Greenlee. The KFP has served 190 more families this year than in 2010, serving 800 residents in November alone, up nearly 100 from the same time last year. Total residents served this year is outpacing 2010 by ten percent. Nearly 6,400 clients (2,350 families) have been served by KFP in 2011, and December’s numbers are not yet in, according Greenlee. The number of clients served this year represents 30 percent of Kent County’s population. The 2010 census put Kent’s population at 20,197.

This year the KFP has given out 115,000 pounds of food, and the need is growing. Greenlee says donations should always be non-perishable and NOT outdated. She said goods that are expired will be disposed of. The KFP is open from 10AM to 12 Noon on Tuesday and Thursday. For more information on how to donate visit the Kent Food Pantry.