Caroline Frengle, executive director of Food for Lane County in Eugene, Ore., speculated that people are waiting to make sure the Y2K threat has truly passed. In Columbus, Ohio, food bank officials said it could be days or weeks before people decide what to do with the cans of Spam and beef stew filling their cupboards. Donors should contact their local food shelves or food banks before dropping off their contributions, because some are momentarily short of space, advised Stormy Trom, director of the Steele County Food Shelf in Owatonna. She said many food shelves are well-supplied at the moment because of holiday donations. If stockpilers want to wait to make sure the Y2K threat has passed, food shelves will be happy to take their non-perishables in a couple months.
Donations traditionally drop off sharply after the holidays.