A time for giving

LYNDHURST—All the leaves had changed, but Tanya Gigliotti just pushed them aside with her feet. Her job never changes with the season and there were more boxes to carry.

Gigliotti, 50, started the local chapter of Restoration Ministries Global with her husband in 1995, and it became a way for her to live a full life. Every week she and a team of volunteers load a van full of donated food, transport it to Gigliotti’s pantry in Lyndhurst, separate the items into boxes, reload the van and begin deliveries.

Last year they fed more than 800 people a week. This year the need has almost doubled. More than 1,400 people sign up for the food service, the consequence of recession and area job losses, she said.

The increase in need changed the face of volunteerism and giving, Gigliotti said.

“It’s gone down almost half,” she said. “A lot of the people that were helping us just aren’t giving right now. They’re volunteering, but they’re using us, too.”

Cynthia Pritchard, the executive director of the Greater-Augusta United Way, said people in need look different today from a year ago.

“It’s your neighbors and your friends,” Pritchard said. “It’s not that unknown person, it’s the person you’re standing next to in the grocery store.”

In December, 120 more people will become unemployed in wake of the Mohawk Industries factory closing. Mohawk eliminated 40 Waynesboro jobs in August, on the heels of 73 layoffs in January.

The area unemployment rate is showing signs of improvement, but economic experts don’t expect a speedy recovery.

The impending loss of jobs has organizations such as The Salvation Army bracing for an increase in need.

“Right now, in this particular community, you’re seeing the economy shift from the manufacturing base that it’s been to a service type of industry,” said John Blevins, corps officer at the Waynesboro Salvation Army. “Our numbers aren’t up simply because places like Mohawk haven’t closed. In a lot of ways we can’t brace ourselves. The very best thing we can do is just to call on our friends in the community.”

Blevins said volunteerism is the lifeblood of organizations such as Restoration Ministries, the United Way and Salvation Army.

“We’ve seen our caseload jump about 30 to 40 percent since last year,” he said. “We need to help these people with their housing. We’re going beyond the traditional food and toys this year.”

Charitable organizations such as Restoration Ministries need financial donations more than anything, Pritchard said. The need has changed: More people experience trouble keeping their electricity bills paid in addition to feeding their families, she said.

Mark Brooks works with Gigliotti at Restoration Ministries. His responsibilities vary from attending teen programs to helping people cut their dependency on drugs to delivering food. No matter what his role, Brooks said one thing he notices while working is an overbearing sense of hopelessness.

“A lot of them talk about what would happen if we didn’t do it,” he said. “The main thing people are saying is, ‘Look, you’re bringing us this food – it’s some kind of hope.’ ”

Gigliotti remembered 2007 as the the most successful year for bringing in donations. They raised $62,000, almost $27,000 more than they expect to raise this year, she said. Gigliotti is calling for any donations area residents can spare. In the meantime, she said, she plans to take the challenge of providing for those in need one day at a time.

“It’s all about attitude,” she said. “They try and try and try to make it on their own and not know what’s available to them. Honestly, I’ve been in that place too, and it’s probably why I can feel the need of the people because I’ve been there myself.”

Giving back

People interested in giving or volunteering should contact Tanya Gigliotti at (540) 942-4544 or e-mail Restoration Ministries at .