Our congregation has a long history of addressing food insecurity in our community. You can read more about this on the Food Insecurity webpage. The Little Free Pantry, the assembly of post-mounted boxes located just outside the lower entrance to the building, was constructed in 2017. Volunteers fill the boxes daily with donated food and food purchased with donated funds. People are also encouraged to place their own food donations in the boxes. The larger box further from the building, what we refer to as the Produce Box, was added in 2020. This is filled on Tuesdays and Fridays with donations from the Giant in the Owen Brown Village Center, as well as with other donations provided by members of the community.
The team needs more volunteers to assist with picking up and distributing the food donated by Giant, especially for the Friday morning shift. We meet at the Giant loading dock at 9AM and work inside the receiving area to sort, pack, and load deli, produce, bakery, dairy, and nonperishable food items. This typically takes about 45 minutes. We then bring the boxed food in our cars to the building, where it is distributed to people who have gathered there. This is a well-organized process and many of the shoppers assist with unloading the boxes from our cars and cleaning up afterwards. We store some of the food to add to the box in the afternoon and evening. We also store nonperishable items in room 213. We are usually finished with everything by 11AM.
I have been a member of the Food Insecurity Team since November 2023 and have found this to be one of my most rewarding volunteer experiences. I have enjoyed getting to know some of our regular shoppers and learning their stories. There is a real sense of community at the Produce Box on Tuesday and Friday mornings!
If you are interested in volunteering, please let Jeanne Bolton or I know. We will also have a table at the Engagement Fair at 11:30AM in Sanctuary B on Sunday, September 27.
The work can be a bit physically demanding, and very satisfying. We are making a difference in people’s lives.
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