Food and Fund Drives
Throughout the year and especially during the holidays, groups sponsor food and fund drives to benefit the hungry in our community. We provide information and guidelines for conducting a successful drive as well as making arrangements for delivery of the food to pantries.
Holiday Meals
We purchase both food and grocery store gift certificates (restricted from purchasing alcohol or tobacco, and non-food items) to enable those we serve to enjoy special meals for the Holiday Season and give them the dignity of choice. We also give pantries the option of adding funds to their spending accounts at the Regional Food Bank.
Food Warehouse Funding
Our Food Warehouse Program provides funding for food to our pantries in the form of spending accounts at the Regional Food Bank; helping pantries tailor their food purchases to their local community. Also, if a member pantry is in danger of running out of food, at any time, we will provide emergency funding and deliver food to them within 24 hours.
Food Express
Our members tell us that this free services is a life-line for their food pantries. The program delivers food orders purchased at the Regional Food Bank directly to our pantries. Pantries are using far more food than can reasonably be transported by volunteers with vans or small trucks.
Infant Needs
Through this project, we purchase infant formula and diapers and deliver them to pantries once a month or as needed. Families facing hard times may be tempted to ``water-down`` baby formula to make it last longer. This can cause developmental problems and life-time issues due to lack of nourishment.
Member Education
Staff and volunteers create partnerships with various organizations to provide educational opportunities such as nutrition, grant writing, and other workshops for our member food pantries so they may better serve their clients.
Food Shuttle
Staff and volunteers rescue ``day-old`` food from local retailers and deliver it to food pantries, shelters, and soup kitchens. The goal is to move food quickly from the store to the table.
Member Support
Staff and volunteers provide various levels of support such as staffing pantries, responding to crisis situations, advocacy, assistance with grant writing, and financial assistance
Volunteer Placement
We offer this service to our members to fill their volunteer needs. We recruit, interview, and place volunteers in the pantries, at special events, and in our office.