Rising food insecurity

Pantry calls for generosity alongside record-setting numbers

BASTROP — The county’s first line of defense for families going through a period of transition set a new record for local service amidst increasing requests for aid.

The Bastrop County Emergency Food Pantry was hit hard in 2023 with a 31% increase in requests for food and support services over 2022. Dedicated workers and volunteers served 5,609 people and handed out 446,859 pounds of food over the course of the year, a record number in all of the pantry’s 37 years of business, according to Director of Marketing and Communications Kelly Manfredini.