An urgent plea to the community is being made by United Way of Bryan County in the final week of the Red River Ford Food Drive.

United Way Director Pam Robinson said the group is far short of its goal of 50,000 pounds of food donations. Last week, there was about 10,000 pounds donated, mostly from employees of Cardinal Glass.

“Unfortunately this year, we are way behind,” she said. “For some reason at this time of year until the end of the year, our food banks seem to have less inventory.”

The official food drive ends this Saturday, Nov. 17, but the six Durant area food banks will accept donations anytime. There are drop-off points at participating food drive partners across the city, with the largest being at Red River Ford, Big Five’s “Stuff the Bus” at First and University, and the courthouse annex.

Last week, more than 900 families received food at Hands of Hope - nearly five percent of Durant’s total population. Around 600 received food at St. Catherine’s. Other food banks who will benefit from this drive include Families Feeding Families, the River, First Church of the Nazarene and Salvation Army.

Canned goods are in very short supply, as these cannot be acquired through nutrition programs.