In between shifts at low-income jobs, West Virginians in natural gas country braved the late August heat and lined up at a New Martinsville church in Wetzel County to pick up canned food, frozen meat and back-to-school clothing. Some drove more than an hour to get there.
Grandparents with custody of their grandchildren, single mothers and people making barely above minimum wage waited their turn to choose from racks of clothes, and a team of about 20 volunteers provided them with lists of other charities that can help.
Since the food pantry opened four years ago, the need has only grown, according to Tina Rucker, who runs it. It serves nearly 1,000 people a month…