July 19, 2023
Many of us have a personal goal to make it a habit to eat healthier. Let me just say that volunteering at the Pantry/Garden, you are surrounded by healthy food reminders. Just last week a group of volunteers, the "Veggie Belles” harvested close to 200 pounds of vegetables: cucumbers, tomatoes, green peppers, jalapeños, squash, beets, and one watermelon. On Tuesday, the Servant Adventure Campers, from throughout the United States, weeded in the watermelons, blueberries, picked gallons of bush beans, and tasted ground cherries from the hoop house. Linda provided a display in the gathering room on Saturday for neighbors and volunteers concerning the importance of Hydration-fluid. The display is a reminder for us to be sure and read the nutrition fact labels on beverage containers.
From some of the pictures this week you will notice our volunteers every Friday check all 150 dozen eggs to ensure they are perfect for distribution. Just as an aside, Jeff picks up the loaves of bread every week. And this week our SaraLee bread is labeled "Delightful" and last week the bread was labeled made with LOVE. : ) Other volunteers on Friday remove the packaging wrap and make sure all cans have labels facing the front.
ON Saturday we welcomed 108 families representing 381 individuals and five new families. Wal-Mart has been very generous in donating leftover seasonal items. At carryout, neighbors are offered these items as a bonus.
City Bakery donated loaves of freshly baked bread. Other donated items were Flavor-First-tomatoes & peppers, Ingles-bread, Bimbos-snacks and bread, Panera- bread, Wal-Mart and Big Lots-misc items and food, Project Dignity-feminine products, Humane Society- dog/cat food and MilkCo-milk. Fletcher Methodist, Calvary Episcopal, Nativity Lutheran, Tabernacle of Praise Churches and other anonymous donors contributed their time, food, and misc. items during the week.
On behalf of the Executive Committee, thank you to our volunteers and our area churches, civic groups, local merchants, and families for all you do to feed our community helping to reduce food insecurity. We thank you and appreciate your food and monetary donations.
