The shelves of the Port Aransas Food Pantry are almost bare and help is needed now.

Instead of asking for candy, some children in Port Aransas will Trick-or- Treat for Hunger by collecting canned goods for the pantry instead of candy for themselves. Port Aransas High School students

will compete against each other, class to class, and grade to grade, to see who can collect the most food. A prize yet to be determined will be awarded by the Community Presbyterian Church.

The church will take the kids out on Halloween, Tuesday, Oct. 31.

Canned goods or monetary donations will be accepted.

"Please give a can or sack of cans if the children come to your door," said Richard Safford, pastor of the church.

If no one makes it to your door, canned goods for the pantry may be dropped off at the church or the Port Aransas Business Center.

As an affiliate, the pantry receives supplies from the Corpus Christi Food Bank. However, the CCFB's reserve is low at present, so the pantry is in dire shape, said Vernett Safford, organizer of the pantry.

The pantry is a non-denominational community service. It is run by the Community Presbyterian Church and distributes food to needy families and individuals in Port Aransas.

It is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays and can be accessed in emergency situations through the church by calling 749-5319.

The pantry relies on donations from the community. It is in need of canned foods, soups, vegetables, cereals, rice, spaghetti and macaroni and cheese. Also needed are easily prepared packaged meals that can be prepared in a skillet or microwave.

Open since January, within nine months the pantry had 147 clients. In addition to the adults in the households, 135 children are being served.

Port Aransans with low income may visit the food pantry twice a month with proof of residency.

The pantry is behind the church at 113 S. Alister St. The church provides the building, utilities and administrative staff to manage the program, but is looking for additional volunteers and donations of both food and money to keep the program running. Volunteers with pick up trucks are needed on Monday afternoons to pick up the food at the Corpus Christi Food Bank. Call the church at 749-5319 to volunteer.