Dozens of people across eastern Jasper County depend on the Carthage Salvation Army food bank, but the bank is running low and needs help.

Salvation Army Capt. Richard McDonald said the price of gas and food has eaten into the amount of food, especially meat, that the Salvation Army can buy and it needs more help from the public.

"We get a lot of canned goods from the schools and different food drives, but meat is another issue," McDonald said. "We have to buy meat generally. If we had the funds, we could have a greater variety of foods, especially meat."

McDonald said the Salvation Army sends a truck to Springfield each week to buy foodat a reduced price from the Ozark Food Harvest, but increasing gas prices have taken a bite out of their budget.

He said the number of people seeking help from the Salvation Army has not gone up much, but the group just can't buy as much food as it used too because of the increasing price of food.

He said the price increases have also cut into the Salvation Army's budget for it's soup kitchen, which offers daily meals at the Army's Carthage headquarters at 125 E. Fairview St.

"We really need donations right now," McDonald said. "If we can get money donated to us, we can get better prices on food than the average consumer can and we can make that money go further."

People interested in donating money to the group can send checks to the Salvation Army, 125 E. Fairview St., Carthage, Mo., 64836, or call them at 417-358-2262.