The unemployment rate in Kosciusko County is 11 percent.

That’s not the highest jobless rate in Indiana, but its high enough to put pressure on food banks in the Warsaw area.

The week got off to a rough start at the Salvation Army food pantry where all they had left on the shelves were cans of green beans and apple sauce.

“I had a lady in here the other day all I gave her was green beans and apple sauce, and she started crying because she had two children at home and what we gave her was all she was able to serve them that night,” said Capt. Dale Brandenburg.

On Thursday, the shelves were partially restocked, thanks to a $500 cash donation. While the week ended better than it began—the fact remains, “We don’t know from day to day what we’re going to get as far as donations,” said Brandenburg. “We’re giving out about 30 percent more this year than we were at this time last year.”

The increased demand is also being felt across town at the largest food bank in the Warsaw area. While Combined Community Services has been doing more to keep up—that hasn’t been enough. “My boss gave me an additional 40 percent budget this year and on September 7th or 8th, I spent it, we were finished. Which means we can’t purchase from the food bank,” said Peggi Lisenbee-Wright.

From here on out, Combined Community Services is dependant on donations. “Right now, we don’t have eggs, we don’t have peanut butter, we have one box of waffle mix and pancake mix left, we don’t have syrup, we don’t have the extra things that help a family feed their children,” Lisenbee-Wright said.

According to Lisenbee-Wright, at this point, both the food banks—and their customers—are barely getting by. “We haven’t had to turn anybody away but we have had times when literally the food was coming in the door, and we were giving it back out.”

Due to the situation the Salvation Army has already started a kettle drive—that typically begins the week before Thanksgiving.

Combined Community Services will provide aid to 548 families this month. In 2007, the agency served an average of 423 families were month.