For many organizations dedicated to helping those in need, having ample resources has been a struggle this season.

With economic hard times still impacting families locally, across the state and the nations, many charitable organizations note an increasing need and a decrease in those able to give support.

But in Edwardsburg, the long-standing Edwardsburg Emergency Fund which, in turn, sponsors the Edwardsburg Food Pantry is going strong with a surge of support from the community, officials say.

Recently made an official 501C-3 nonprofit organization and housed at Our Lady of the Lake church in Edwardsburg, the Edwardsburg Emergency Fund is a joint effort by three churches, including Hope United Methodist and the Presbyterian Church.

“What that does is provide food and assistance as well as the assistance with the payment of utilities, to persons in crisis in need in the Edwardsburg Union areas,” Father Joe McCormick, of Our Lady of the Lake church said. “Any church members that we may have from ourtide that area, we would help our own church members as well.”

The pantry is staffed entirely of volunteers, McCormick said, who were busy Sunday preparing for one of the fund’s biggest drives, the annual Christmas drive and distribution held Monday.

An estimated 250 households who utilized services of the fund and pantry were invited to participate in the drive this year.

“We invite all of them out to our annual Thanksgiving drive and Christmas drive,” McCormick said. Approximately 190 of those invited went to the church on Monday for the distribution.

“It was incredible,” McCormick said. “I was blown away myself.”

In addition to food collected through numerous charitable food drives, like those taking place throughout Edwardsburg Public Schools and donations made by local and area organizations and businesses such as the Edwardsburg Knights of Columbus, Meijer and Harding’s, McCormick said the church was transformed into a virtual superstore with groceries, clothing and toys to choose from.

An estimated 180 volunteers donated their time to organizing the event the night before.

“Never, never have we had that much (volunteer turnout),” McCormick said. “(It was) just a tremendous outpouring — and they came here to work.”

Volunteers packed 400 bags of groceries and set up the church’s social hall.

Those invited to the drive were “allowed to go through the toy department and pick out toys for children in their household,” McCormick said.

After choosing items among toys, coats and boots, participants picked up groceries and a ham.

“We went through everything,” McCormick said.

On average, he added, the food pantry and assistance services help between 12 and 15 families each morning. Those who make use of the organization go through standard paperwork and verification procedures to determine their level of need.

The bags of groceries that are given to families that need them are set up to get through through several days to a week. Assistance is limited and participants can come back no more than twice a month for groceries but considering the pleas coming from neighboring organizations for help, the fact that the Edwardsburg Food Pantry has been helping area families without running out of food on the shelves is a testament to the dedication of the community.

“The community has just been terrific,” McCormick said, calling the organization a “real grassroots operation” and a symbol of “neighbors helping neighbors.”

Since coming to the church four years ago, McCormick said the pantry and EEF have been going strong — even with an increase in those needing help over the last two years.

The Edwardsburg Food Pantry is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Our Lady of the Lake Church in Edwardsburg. Certain identification and other materials may be required.