BVCA Food Pantry Always In Need

The Blue Valley Community Action (BVCA) food pantry in Fairbury normally has a seasonal ebb and flow. Some weeks the shelves are bare with more of a demand while other times the shelves are fully stocked and there isn’t an overabundance of requests.That has changed recently. According to Ryan Bailey, Family and Community Services Coordinator for BVCA and Karen Swartz, Family Development Coordinator for BVCA, the request for food by those in need has been consistent.“It has been pretty constant now,” Bailey said. “We used to have a down time a few times a year but it seems like now there is no down time anymore.”Some days three to four people show up for a box of food. Other days it is six to eight people, even up to 10 people, needing food.Changes to SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) have been a reason why there is a constant flow of people requesting food from BVCA.Some people that used to donate to the pantry have now found themselves in need of the service, Bailey and Swartz noted. “With changes coming to SNAP, it will be worse. People rely on that food and when it is gone, they won’t be able to get it and they will have nowhere else to turn but the food pantry,” Bailey said. “Some people that were getting by and even donated to the food pantry, with inflation and everything, they need food from the food pantry.”“There are a lot of new families coming in. Even a month to six weeks ago, we have had a lot of people say their SNAP has been cut back,” Swartz said. From October 1, 2024 through Sept. 30, 2025, Blue Valley has distributed 2,387 boxes of food for people in need.BVCA has a ‘like’ list of foods that will be consumed and not wasted.“Why give food that they aren’t going to eat or will be wasted?” Bailey noted. “Or they can’t eat due to dietary restrictions.”Monetary or food donations are happily accepted, Swartz and Bailey agreed. However, food donations can be turned around faster.“With food donations, we can get it right back out the door. With money, we can often times go with the Food Bank of Lincoln and purchase things for pennies on the dollar and they can deliver it to us, so that does help tremendously. Either one is a great help,” Bailey said.Anything that can be stretched, like canned goods, soups, pancake mix, are always in need.“Anything filling, that can go a long way,” Bailey explained. “Anything that you, yourself, would feed your family, stuff that is ‘stick to your ribs’ food, as my grandpa would say.”Personal hygiene items and things like laundry soap are also in need throughout the year.Call (402) 729-2278 to make an appointment for a box to expedite the process, according to Swartz and Bailey.

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