COEUR d’ALENE — Some days, the shelves at the Community Action Partnership food bank are bare before closing.

“People come in and we don’t have a whole lot for them,” said Darrell Rickard, who manages the program.

The food bank serves between 500 and 750 people each week, sometimes more. Rickard, who manages the program, said he’s seeing more and more new faces. Other food banks are experiencing similar increases.

Rickard attributes this largely to the rising costs of food, gas and housing. For many, finances are tighter than they’ve ever been.

“We’re here for people who are having trouble making ends meet,” he said.

But the long stretch between summer and the winter holidays is a time when donations dip. Perishable food donated by local stores, for which Rickard is grateful, usually lasts a day and a half at most.

The food bank is critically low in non-perishable items.

A food drive from noon to 1 p.m. today at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2801 N. Fourth St., Coeur d’Alene, will benefit the pantry.

The Coeur d’Alene Fire Department, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, St. Mary Immaculate Catholic Church and Northern Lakes Bible Church organized the food drive.

Canned goods are welcome, including fruits and vegetables, soups, chili and tuna. Boxed meals like macaroni and cheese or Hamburger Helper and even instant ramen are appreciated, too. But any type of food will do.

“We give away almost everything we have,” Rickard said.

More than 16,000 Kootenai County residents face food insecurity, according to the most recent “Map the Meal Gap” report from Feeding America, which is based on 2020 data. That’s about 10% of the county’s population, including children.

Statewide, almost 9% of Idahoans — more than 152,000 people — don’t have consistent access to enough food to live an active, healthy life.

Food insecurity can be a temporary situation or can last a long time.

Many of those who use the Community Action Partnership food bank are elderly people on fixed incomes who come weekly. Some are families with children.

Others are working people who have a tough month and need a little help to make it until they get paid again.

“Maybe they have to decide whether to buy gas or food,” Rickard said. “We want to take that decision away from them. Buy the gas. Let us provide the food.”

The food bank is open from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Monday through Friday. There’s no need to make an appointment or bring anything.

“Just come in,” Rickard said.

Community Action Partnership has food banks in Boundary, Kootenai, Shoshone, Benewah and Nez Perce counties. The nonprofit also provides family coaching, job coaching and other resources to help bring people out of poverty.

“The food bank is just one of those items,” Rickard said. “If people are having problems with their heating bill, they need to call us.”

Info: www.cap4action.org