A Brief Word About Donations
by Heidi Miller Food Pantry Coordinator
I am often asked, "When is the busiest time of year for the food pantry?" There is no easy answer to this question, as many people are hungry or at risk of going hungry year round. While it is true that the pantry staff and volunteers make a special effort to distribute turkeys and baskets to needy families during the holidays, ours is a twelve-month mission to help ease the pain that hunger brings. And so the challenge becomes how does the food pantry engage you, the community, in action 365 days a year? How do we assure that our food pantry, has enough nutritious supplemental groceries to feed those in need throughout the year? Below is a list of ways in which you can help us fight hunger right here in our own community.
Donate Time
Donating your time to help assemble and distribute food bags is a valuable way in which you can help. Donating a few hours a month will provide you with the rewarding opportunity to help people in our community. Few other experiences leave you with the tremendous sense of fullfillment and gratitude that volunteering brings.
Donate $
Your financial gift in any amount will go directly to purchasing food for area families. This helps ensure that all who seek assistance will be provided with an emergency 3 day supply of food. All donations are completely tax deductible.
Donate Food
There are several ways in which you can help keep our pantry well stocked throughout the year. Our "Food of the Month" program is designed to target a specific food item we regularly include in our weekly bags. By choosing just one item, it alleviates the need to recall the overwhelming list of items the pantry needs regularly. This helps make it easier to grab an "extra item" for the pantry, when shopping for your own family. To check out this month's "Food of the Month" click here.
Below is a list of items that we regularly include in our weekly bags. By no means is this a comprehensive list. In order to help meet the growing needs of our community, we are accepting all food donations, toiletries, baby care products etc. Please just be sure to check all expiration dates. Donations can be dropped off at the pantry Sat. mornings from 9am-11am or by calling (209) 786-2526 for appointment.
Canned Soup Boxed Macaroni and Cheese
Canned Tuna Boxed Instant Mashed Potatoes
Canned Fruit Peanut Butter
Canned Spaghetti Sauce Jelly
Bagged or Boxed Spaghetti Dried Beans (Pinto or Kidney)
Rice Eggs
Bread Hot Dogs
Powdered Milk
Neighbor to Neighbor
Food Pantry
