Hundreds of families rely on local food pantries each year to keep enough food on their tables to sustain them during difficult times. Summer is often the hardest time for these organizations, as most pantries say their donations fall as the temperature rises.

One of these food pantries in particular, the food closet at the Mathews Department of Social Services on Church Street, is having a tough time keeping its shelves stocked and is seeking help from the public to continue serving families as it has faithfully done so for decades in the past.

The department’s food closet has distributed basic nonperishable items to local residents in immediate need of assistance for as long as Alissa Carter, one of the organization’s benefit programs specialists, can remember. However, the organization recently sent out a letter to the community stating the food closet is almost bare.

“I can recall when the department was located at its old location (now the Mathews Maritime Fou...