Community responds to charity's food crisis

Thanks to generous donations from Las Vegas residents, the Salvation Army food bank, which had to close its doors last week, is restocked with more than 50,000 cans of food.

On July 8, the organization had to turn away needy families because its food bank was empty.

"It was terrible. I was there at Family Services when they had to put the sign on the door that said 'Out of Food.' I never thought that would happen," said Sumner Dodge, director of family services for the Salvation Army.

The Las Vegas community responded to the organization's plight this weekend, and the Salvation Army is back open with contributions rolling in by the truckful.

"This is so incredible. In the 20 years I have been working for Salvation Army, I have never been seen a response like this. It is so wonderful that the community is helping us," Dodge said. "Food is coming in all the time; our vans are trying to pick up food all over the place."

Last weekend, major radio stations in the valley conducted food drives to help the Salvation Army. Dodge said on Monday alone he received 25 voice-mail messages from companies willing to donate. He named company after company willing to conduct food drives or make donations, including the Las Vegas Hilton, KXPT 97.1-FM, Sam's Club and the Fiesta hotel-casino.

One such organization, Ultrazone, will be hosting a food drive from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesday at its Maryland Parkway amusement center.

"Our goal is to collect more than 2,000 cans of food," said Kelcey West, marketing coordinator at Ultrazone. "We feel extremely honored to be in a position to assist such a valuable organization in their pursuit of a hunger-free America."

Dodge said 50,000 cans will get the Salvation Army through only one month, and he is hoping the organization will have at least 150,000 more cans donated to last through the rest of the summer.

The Salvation Army has been running out of food because demand overwhelmed supply, he said.

During the first six months of 1997, the Salvation Army food bank supplied 12,000 people with food -- this year it has supplied about 21,000.

"We were so worried about not having enough food, and we knew if we didn't have any, it could throw a lot of families into homelessness," Dodge said.

Donations can be made in Las Vegas at 35 W. Owens Ave. or 2900 Palomino Lane, or to the Henderson Salvation Army at 830 E. Lake Mead Drive.

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