December 11, 2023 newsletter

 

Good morning friends! It seems like we did a LOT more than food this past week, and I'm so grateful that we have expert friends we can call on for advice when our guests need help. Here are the highlights of who we helped this week, besides the guests who came for food from the pantry:

• A family facing eviction
• A guest with no winter coat
• A family struggling to untangle a legal mess
• A guest in an unsafe living situation
• A guest with no heat or electricity
• People who just needed a place to gather

First, I just need to let you know that not a cent of any monetary donations you make to us goes towards these other issues unless you have specifically designated it for a non-food project. These are not our primary mission, but of course we end up hearing about them as we help people with food insecurity and community involvement. We occasionally seek grants to cover expenses other than food, but primarily we just count on the advice and help of individuals, local business owners, and Town or State agencies. This week I am especially thankful for Kyndra and Mike, who own West Main Thrift and generously provided the coat, and Alicia H at the Town Hall, who always knows who someone should call. I have a long list of resources for issues outside of our domain, but I have often gone to Alicia for advice on which of the organizations would best be able to help in a particular situation. We also receive help from many other local folks when a specific need arises. We have a very generous community, and I'm super-thankful for it!

Debbie E and Melanie P hosted our monthly Craft Gathering this past Saturday, and it was a busy morning! Melanie worked on putting up a Charlie Brown-inspired Christmas tree while Debbie taught how to make these special cards shown in the attached pictures. Thank you to both of them for sharing their time and creativity with everyone.

We've been busy on Saturdays, and our stock of many items is low. If you can shop for us this week, we are in need of the following items: spaghetti pasta (whole wheat if available), spaghetti sauce (low sugar if available), 18 oz containers of oatmeal, small jars of jelly, canned chicken, canned tuna, canned corn, canned pasta like spaghettios, low-sugar baked beans, 1 or 2 lb bags of rice, and pudding cups. We'll be at the pantry on Wednesday from 10 to noon, Friday from 4 to 5:30, and Saturday from 9 to noon for drop-offs. And the bin is always available at Shop n' Save if those times don't suit. Please leave a note in the bag with your name so we know whom to thank!

I love you all! Have a great week 💕