Texarkana food bank worried about holiday shortages - KFVS12 News & Weather Cape Girardeau, Carbondale, Poplar Bluff

The shelves are full, but officials at a Texarkana, Arkansas food bank are worried that they won't receive enough donations to help with the holiday rush this year.

"We expect this supply to be gone by the end of the week, and we don't have a lot of new stuff coming in to replenish behind it," says Jill Whittington, Executive Director Harvest Texarkana.

Whittington say the food bank receives this time of year many donations of food and money to help with its mission of feeding the hungry. But things are different this year.

"Families are going to see high utility prices due to cold weather, and their budgets are going to be tighter. We're really having a hard time providing them with good, nutritious food."

Harvest Texarkana serves 11 counties in southwest Arkansas and northeast Texas. Flower Acres Baptist Church of Texarkana is one of more than 100 agencies that depends on this food bank.

"It is a life saver, not only for our community but the whole town," says Sandy Stevens of Flower Acres.

Church members were at the warehouse to pick up items for a food giveaway later this week.

Says Whittington: "We are really just treading water. And for us not to be seeing a build-up at the end of the year is really concerning."

Copyright 2012 KSLA. All rights reserved.