The recent cold winter weather has had some effect on local agencies that provide food, clothing and utilities to those in need.

But the biggest factor in causing local families to seek help, said spokespersons for those agencies, is the high number of Greene Countians who are unemployed, which reached 15.0 percent in December.

A month ago, the Food Bank, Greeneville Adventist Community Services Center and Mosheim Outreach Center each reported a decrease in "walk-ins" seeking food assistance during a period of extremely cold temperatures.

However, the number of Greene Countians since then has increased steadily, as it has beginning more than a year ago, reflecting the difficult economic conditions for many county residents.

"The economy is the biggest factor" for the increasing need for food assistance, said Carmen Ricker, executive director of Greeneville-Greene County Community Ministries' Food Bank.

For example, she said, the Food Bank added 2,419 new clients in 2009, compared with 977 new clients in 2008, she said.

The total number of times families have been served by the Food Bank increased from 10,423 in 2008 to 11,202 in 2009, she said.

The total number of times individuals were served increased from 28,764 in 2008 to 36,290 in 2009, she said.

The total number of meals provided increased from 323,341 in 2008 to 390,540 in 2009, Ricker said.

The Food Bank has an adequate supply of food at this time, Ricker said. But donations normally slow down after the holidays until the major food drive is conducted in May.

According to Ricker, Food Bank clients are facing a number of issues.

She said the majority of Food Bank clients have used all their extended benefits and still do not have employment.

Some clients can only afford enough gas to drive to the Food Bank once a month, she said.

These clients are keeping a month's supply of food, and some of them have lost a significant amount of perishable food when their electricity was disconnected, she said.

Ricker said the average electric bill among Food Bank clients is $250, and some are in the $500 range.

Because the Food Bank cannot assist with the full amount of such a high light bill, Ricker said she worries about those who lose their electricity even after getting assistance.

The Wood Ministry, a group of church volunteers working this winter with the Food Bank, has delivered 275 to 300 loads of wood for the needy.

"That's far beyond what they ever expected, and they're still cutting and delivering," Rickers said.

From mid-November, the beginning of the heating season, to the end of January, the Food Bank provided $53,669 for assistance with light bills, Ricker said.

During the same time, the Food Bank provided $21,678 for kerosene and propane, $480 for coal and $2,950 for wood beyond the Wood Ministry.

Funding for this heating assistance is provided through the annual Coal Fund drive, which seeks donations from the public.

The 2009 drive, held from Thanksgiving until Dec. 31, raised a total of $128,761.

The Food Bank is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Clients are seen from 9 to 11 a.m. and 12:30 to 2 p.m.

Donations can be dropped off at the Food Bank at the corner of Cutler and Church streets.

For more information, call the Food Bank at 638-1667.

The Adventist Community Services Center is seeing the maximum number of clients at this time, according to Dave Sharpe, center director.

In January, the center assisted 646 individuals with 5,527 articles of clothing.

A total of 58 families received $2,005 in financial assistance from the center, and 403 families received food, he said.

In 2009, the center distributed 98,377 articles of clothing to 8,787 families, according to Sharpe.

A total of $23,395.88 in financial assistance was provided for 698 families, he said.

A total of 9,694 food boxes -- nearly 350,000 pounds of food -- were given to 4,847 families, he said.

Volunteers gave 16,321 hours, he said.

The Greeneville Seventh-day Adventist Church gave a total of $43,821 to the center, Sharpe said.

It is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays to provide full-service assistance with food, clothing and financial needs. The center also is open from 9 to 11 a.m. Mondays for clothing needs only.

Sharpe said the center has an adequate supply of food at this time.

Donations of toys, clothing, household items or food can be dropped off at the two large containers located outside the center on Idletime Drive, off the Asheville Highway.

For more information, call the Adventist Community Services Center at 639-7127.

The Mosheim Outreach Center, which saw a decrease in walk-in clients during the cold snap in early January, is "back to normal," according to John Waddle, center director.

Since the downturn in the economy, the center has been serving 480 to 490 families each month, Waddle said.

The Mosheim Outreach Center provides mainly food and some clothing, he said.

Donations can be dropped off at Mosheim Town Hall or mailed to Mosheim Outreach Center, P.O. Box 7, Mosheim, TN 37818.

The center is open from 9 a.m. to noon Mondays and from 1 to 4 p.m. Thursdays.

For more information, call Waddle at 620-2199.