MEXICO — A food pantry helps those in desperate times, but what happens when the food pantry is down and out? Susan Byam, director of the GRAMPA food pantry, is attempting to answer that question.

“Things have never been this bad,” said Byam, who is struggling to meet the growing need for food donations in the River Valley.

GRAMPA food pantry is one of only a few local nonprofit food pantries left in the area. GRAMPA was originally started in the 1980s by Alice and Ron Ashworth and was the first food pantry in the River Valley area.

Byam said it relies on FEMA, United Way and donations to stock the shelves. Current budget cuts through FEMA and the United Way have decreased funding to Oxford County pantries by 53 percent. Other Maine counties received zero funding.

“We’re doing OK right now, but we are spending all our reserves and won’t be able to keep up for much longer,” Byam said.

GRAMPA served 426 families or 965 citizens from January to July in 2010. This year from January to July the pantry served 619 families or 1,457 citizens, an increase of 492 people.

“A lot of new families are moving into the area and times are just hard with today’s economy,” Byam said.

The food pantry served 125 families in the month of July alone. By the first week of August, it had seen 65 families come through the door.

Byam is hoping with fall and school around the corner, donations will increase. She said the pantry has always experienced low donations during the summer months.

Donations can be dropped off at the GRAMPA food pantry at 163 Main St. in Mexico. Days and hours of operation are Monday 2 to 2:30 p.m., Wednesday 6 to 7:30 p.m. and Friday 9 to 11 a.m.

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