Millbrook Food Pantry in dire need of food - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

These bare shelves are all signs of a dire need for food at the W.E.L.C.O.M.E. Food Pantry in Millbrook.

"This is very critical. We normally average about 27-32 families a week, come summer time it's up to 47-55," W.E.L.C.O.M.E. Inc. Assistant Director Tammy Gibson said.

Feeding people like Annie Jean Wiley who has to feed her two kids.

"Yes, I'm grateful; before they give you the food, they do a prayer for you," Wiley said.

And now this food ministry is praying for more donations to keep up with the increased summer demand.

"Because of the pure number of children that are at home and are not receiving free meals at school," Gibson said.

Gibson says summer has it's challenges.

"So our normal people that we receive food from are not meeting, so our food gets low, but our demand is high," Gibson said.

There's plenty of volunteers, but not enough food for them to stock the shelves. Only three jars of peanut butter are on the shelf.

"Peanut is huge right now, spaghetti, spaghetti sauce, noodles, anything, any vegetables, any canned meats. That's the kind of thing we want to provide to our less fortunate people to prepare a meal," Gibson said.

The pantry is only open on Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 2p.m. and all the prepared bags of food are gone in a matter of hours.

But volunteers and food recipients hope people will be touched to give to those who are less fortunate.

Even though the Welcome pantry is open only on Thursdays, donations are accepted throughout the week. For more information, please call 334-285-0150,