CLINTON - Requests for food and energy assistance in DeWitt County appear to be on the increase as winter approaches and the economy continues to slide, but social service agencies are responding.

Requests for help at the DeWitt County Food Bank, for instance, have doubled since January, said Ambor Branch, who oversees the food bank in her position as the domestic violence program coordinator with Dove Inc.

"We're probably going to see even more requests for donations as we get into the winter months and that's a time when money always gets tight," Branch said.

"The great thing so far is that we have done really well with donations so far this year," Branch said. "Obviously, you can never have enough and it often goes out as quickly as it comes in, but we need that trend to continue."

Donations may be dropped off at the Dove office, 803 W. Leander St., Clinton.

Branch said her agency is grateful for the various food drives in the area. She expects another 713 pounds of food from a Clinton Weight Watchers group to arrive on Monday, and the Clinton High School Excel Club is sponsoring its annual food drive this month.

The annual DeWitt County CROP Walk on Oct. 5, which collected money, food and personal care items, also provided assistance.

Energy assistance

In addition to food, residents are also looking for help with energy bills.

The Community Action Partnership of Central Illinois has seen an increase in enrollment for the Illinois Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program in DeWitt and Logan counties. Already, the office has received about 200 applications from seniors or disabled people who are eligible for the program.

"That's approximately a 10 percent increase over last year and of course, the cold weather hasn't hit yet," said Angela Stoltzenberg, executive director of Community Action Partnership of Central Illinois. "As we get into the winter, there will be more programs available and we expect increases in all of them."

For more information on the Community Action Partnership programs, call (217) 935-2455 or (217) 732-2159.