The Rotary Club of Lake Placid begins holding a series of community food drives at the St. Agnes School parking lot on the morning of Saturday, June 13. (Photo provided)

LAKE PLACID — The COVID-19 pandemic has created difficult financial circumstances for a large number of North Country families, and the Rotary Club of Lake Placid is spearheading a new program to help out the Lake Placid Ecumenical Food Pantry, the main food source for many of these families over the past three months.

“As soon as the shutdown happened in mid-March, we saw an immediate increase in the number of people using the food pantry,” food pantry coordinator Linda Young said.

The Rotary Club has launched a project to deliver a sustained, reliable stream of food items to the Ecumenical Food Pantry, including providing volunteers to help with the influx of clients and food donations.

People can drop off food items with volunteers at the parking lot of St. Agnes Catholic Church, which houses the food pantry, on the second Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon and on the third Thursday of each month from 5 to 7 p.m., through June 2021. The church is located at the corner of Saranac and Hillcrest avenues. A list of needed items is at “http://www.rotarylakeplacid.org”>www.rotarylakeplacid.org; click on “volunteer opportunites,” then “food drive.”

Diane Collins is a parishioner at St. Agnes Church. She also volunteers in the pantry.

“St. Agnes takes great pride in working with this Ecumenical Food Pantry and helping anyone in need in this wonderful community and the surrounding areas,” Collins said.

Measurable proof of the increased need is evident in the Lake Placid Central School District’s Backpack Program, which supplements the free or reduced meal program for about 40% of LPCSD students. The service has quadrupled, so there are now four times as many students and families receiving weekend food and supermarket gift cards.

Seeing the clear need for food aid, the Rotary Club of Lake Placid reached out and organized a community team with members from the Adirondack Community Church, Lions Club, St. Agnes parish, Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism, LPCSD and the Lake Placid Synagogue. Additional partners are welcome.

“Given the current economic and public health dynamics, it seemed that we could amplify our support of those in need if we joined together as a team, and supported multiple food drives for the next year,” said Rotarian Kate Thompson, who is leading the effort.

Rotarian and small business owner Bridget McKillip said, “I’m excited about the food drive because it’s a community effort. I have learned as a Rotarian that we can make a difference. This project is great because so many people have the same goal. Many hands make light work.”

Anyone interested in helping with this service can sign up on www.rotarylakeplacid.org or email rotarylp.volunteering@gmail.com.