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"We're fastening our seat belts," said Roz Morgan, about the people who need assistance now and in the foreseeable future. "It's going to be a bumpy ride."
Any parent, regardless of income, may bring their school-age children to Our Father's House Thrift Store on Argonne Road, in Warsaw Wednesday and select three back-to-school outfits for each child at no charge.
The store usually isn't open Wednesdays. The back-to-school giveaway is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
"This is what we do," Morgan said of the giveaway. "Usually in the summer we see a significant drop in the number of people asking for help. This year it hasn't dropped. It's accelerated.
"It's setting the tone for a very hard winter to come."
She expects to have folks from Marshall County start to take advantage of the 8-year-old store and food pantry. Argos citizens heard the Ristance manufacturing plant will close in 2004, with a job loss of 300. Two years ago the Oxford Automotive plant closed in Argos. Marshall County has had several major employers end 1,600 jobs in the last three years.
"We're seeing a lot of people who never expected to be without a job. But we have these things and anyone who has a need can come in for help once every six months. The clothing giveaway is in addition to other services."
Morgan said a dining room-soup kitchen will open at the Argonne Road location by the end of September.
Volunteers will wait tables and Morgan hopes senior citizens will use it as a social experience.
"Using the soup kitchen won't go against meals anyone takes home," she said, adding two soups, two sandwiches, two desserts, coffee tea or milk will be on the menu each day.
