It’s not completely empty yet, but it’s getting there.

The peanut butter is gone, and so are the chili beans and the dry and canned milk. There is one can of bean sprouts left, and the special area reserved for cake mixes or treats is nearly nonexistent.

Donations are desperately needed for the Salvation Army Emergency Food Pantry, said social worker Lori Blanton, especially as the holidays get closer.

The staff gets by through grants and contributions, but also needs the continued support of the community and local organizations and churches.

The pantry now serves roughly 200 Mower County families a month.

“This is the time we really need it to happen,” Blanton said.

Each year, the pantry also provides families in need with special items for Thanksgiving that include a chicken, turkey or ham; potatoes rice or stuffing; vegetables; sweet potatoes or squash; gravy or cream soup; and canned fruit or pie filling to go along with biscuit, cornbread or pie mixes.

And each year, Blanton said, Austin comes through to help.

“I guess I don’t worry so much because it is a generous and a caring community that we live in,” she said.

There are some bright spots at the food shelf right now.

The cereal is well stocked, thanks to a local church, and there is a healthy supply of canned and refrigerated meat, thanks to the consistent contributions of Hormel.

“To say thank you is just not enough,” Blanton said.

Residents can stop into the Food Shelf, located at the Salvation Army, 409 First Ave. N.E. in Austin from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Cash or food is welcome (nonperishable items are preferred).

In addition, the Austin Jaycees and the local postal workers union are teaming up for a food drive Nov. 8. Residents can place food items near their mailboxes, while the carriers will then take them to the post office and the Jaycees then help sort them and load the up to be taken over to the food shelf. As a reminder, postal workers will be dropping off notices to households a couple of days before the drive.

“My personal belief and the belief of the letter carriers of Austin is that a person deserves to have their basic needs met, and one of those needs is food,” said Bob Rosel, president of the local letter carrier’s union.

This is the second year for the fall food drive, while the letter carriers have been participating in a spring food drive for roughly the past 15 years as part of the effort spearheaded by the National Association of Letter Carriers.

As for what the food drive efforts of the postal carriers and Jaycees mean to Blanton, it’s simple.

“I wish I could put them all in a circle and give them a great big hug,” she said.