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ACCESS foodshare bags in today�s MT Grocery bags in today�s Mail Tribune may be used to help fill a 45,000-pound food goal in ACCESS Foodshare�s holiday season food drive. "So far this season we have received 28,000 pounds of donations," said Ben Benjamin, ACCESS coordinator. Benjamin said the agency collected 80,000 pounds of food during the donation season, which runs from Halloween to yar�s end. ACCESS needs to receive enough food this holiday season to get their operation through the winter months until spring. Need increases throughout the winter and drops in summer. "We are behind last year. We didn�t get as much in the scout drive and in October last year lots of schools helped with a shortage," said Benjamin. This year only four schools conducted drives. ACCESS supplies a network of 16 emergency food pantries throughout the county. Boxes, which contain three to five day food supplies, are distributed to over 1,500 households each month. Donation bags can be taken to any fire station in Jackson County, to five Medford churches listed on the bags, or the ACCESS, behind Costco in Medford, during weekday work hours. Donations can be also brought to the Christmas celebration in Vogel Park Tuesday from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Cold and hot cereals, peanut butter, canned meats, rice, beans and pasta are especially desired. Monetary donations can also be made. Each dollar will allow purchase and distribution of five pounds of food. Donations, made out to ACCESS Foodshare, can be sent to P.O. Box 4666, Medford, OR. 97501. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.