"The need is food. We can purchase food from Second Harvest in Grand Rapids, so food or money," said Doris Mezzenga, director of the Crosslake Food Shelf. "We're able to purchase larger quantities of food from the food bank."

Mezzenga said the Crosslake Food Shelf helped 57 families Nov. 6.

"We're up probably 15 percent compared to what we used to be," she said. "We expect more now around Thanksgiving time. Thanksgiving and Christmas, we're usually up. Last year we were up about 50 percent.

"It seems like each week we get a few new people. We had four new families last time and expect more," she said.

Mezzenga noted the food shelf is prepared and ordered a large shipment from the Second Harvest North Central Food Bank in Grand Rapids.

Area food shelf directors say people are still unemployed or have had their hours reduced, and that's prompting more people to visit food shelves.

Mezzenga said she is seeing larger families, including three families of seven people.

"Some kids can't make it, and they're moving in with Mom and Dad," she said.

Don Messick, director of the Lakes Area Food Shelf in Pequot Lakes, said he is seeing a big increase in the number of retired people using the food shelf in the past year and a half.

"The new members we're picking up now are the larger families, but the senior citizens have really hit us hard," he said.

Since January, an additional 91 families have visited the Pine River Area Food Shelf, said Doris Bohme, noting last month the Pine River Area Food Shelf gave away more than 6,000 pounds of food.

The Pine River food shelf helps a total of about 400 families.

"We're finding people who haven't had to come for a long time are coming back," Bohme said. "It's pretty sad."

Friday, Nov. 20, the Pine River Area Food Shelf plans to give turkeys, stuffing, cranberries, a can of pumpkin and evaporated milk to people for the holidays.

Saturday, Nov. 21, the Lakes Area Food Shelf in Pequot Lakes will give out 164 turkeys and other food for a Thanksgiving meal.

Messick said his food shelf has seen a 10 percent increase in use since last year. Last year, the Lakes Area Food Shelf served 3,599 families, or 9,880 people. It gave out 276,097 pounds of food.

Now the food shelf is averaging 10 to 15 new families per month, Messick said, noting it serves between 250 and 350 families per month. The Lakes Area Food Shelf won't distribute Christmas baskets this year because, Messick said, that $5,000 to $8,000 can be put to a better use next year.

The Emily Community Food Shelf has just 24 turkeys for the holidays, as well as geese and small hams, said Nancy Moritz, food shelf director. The food shelf also has potatoes, apples, stuffing and cranberry sauce for the holidays.

"We have an assortment, and they can choose what they want because those turkeys aren't going to last very long," she said.

The Emily Community Food Shelf serves 60 families, or about 200 people, in Emily, Outing, Fifty Lakes and Fairfield, Little Pine and Ross Lake townships. Those numbers are up.

"I'm getting calls all the time," Moritz said, noting if people are desperate she will meet them at Emily City Hall to give them food items when the food shelf isn't open.

She's also received calls in the past week from new people wondering when the food shelf is open.

In Emily, Lake Country Foods helps the food shelf by giving it bread and banana boxes to pack items.

"They go away with a nice bunch of food," Moritz said.

Also in Emily, the Care and Share Cafe at Emily Wesleyan Church has been successful. At 5:30 p.m. each Wednesday, anyone who wants a warm meal can eat for free at the church. It's serving up to 160 people per week, Moritz said, noting meals can be delivered as well.

Besides money and food (mostly canned items), food shelves also seek donations of laundry detergent, shampoo, toilet paper and toothpaste.

Food shelf directors are thankful for their volunteers.

"I could not do it without my volunteers," Mezzenga said.