Food Pantry

[Jpoy85]

Does anyone else go to a Food Pantry to get help with food? This includes Food Pantries, the old Angel Food Ministries, etc.

 

Do you like your pantry? dislike it? Wish you could change something?

 

We moved here and i havent been to the new food pantry yet, but I have been a few and I like them. Of course there are good ones and bad ones. I loved this one where we use to live! Theyd give you tons of meat and bread, clothes, medicine, diapers, etc...not just boxed food,etc. Then you have the traditional pantry where they hand you a box and thats it.

I wish that some of the pantries would offer more basic things, for example: TP, soap, shampoo, laundry soap. Whether you are low income or homeless, you still need these things. I dont know if its all about the donations, because I wonder if some pantries just dont think about offering these things?

[Mergath]

We had to go to our local Food Shelf two or three times back during dh's extended period of unemployment. I was grateful for the help, don't get me wrong, but a person can only use so many expired cans of refried beans, and I draw the line at eating moldy bread. :glare: They did offer things like toilet paper and toothpaste, though.

 

On a semi-related note, it really irks me that people will donate food that is really, really expired to the food shelf. I'm not picky if a canned good is a bit past, but we're talking one or two years past. And given how incredibly busy our food shelf is- it takes a week or more just to get an appointment to get food- I know it didn't sit there for that long.

 

Seriously, people. If something is unsafe for your family, it's unsafe for anyone to eat. Period.

[AK_Mom4]

I volunteer in a food pantry on a regular basis and, yes, it just depends on what comes in for donations. We have a small amount of money that we can spend on purchased goods, so we tend to spend that on protein (canned/frozen meat, fish, peanut butter) and baby formula as that is rarely donated. On those occasions when paper products and hygiene items come in, they disappear off the shelves almost immediately. It's great when we have the "extras" to give out, but it doesn't always happen.

 

Our food pantry packs the food and delivers it to people's homes. The amount delivered depends on the number of adults/children in the home. There are a couple of walk-in style pantries in town where you choose your own food and those have clothing available as well - mostly kids clothes, though.

[Jpoy85]

We had to go to our local Food Shelf two or three times back during dh's extended period of unemployment. I was grateful for the help, don't get me wrong, but a person can only use so many expired cans of refried beans, and I draw the line at eating moldy bread. :glare: They did offer things like toilet paper and toothpaste, though.

 

On a semi-related note, it really irks me that people will donate food that is really, really expired to the food shelf. I'm not picky if a canned good is a bit past, but we're talking one or two years past. And given how incredibly busy our food shelf is- it takes a week or more just to get an appointment to get food- I know it didn't sit there for that long.

 

Seriously, people. If something is unsafe for your family, it's unsafe for anyone to eat. Period.

 

YUCK!! I mean ive had slightly moldy bread or veggies, but never that bad. Oh my!!

Now, theres a rumor that one of the food pantries stopped giving meat out because it was making people sick, but i dont know if its true or not. I didnt go to the pantry when they gave out meat.

[Soror]

Dh and I volunteered at our local food pantry and they always had the USDA stuff- never know there- misc canned goods that people donated- often frozen bread and donuts (as both were donated by local places), sometimes meat if it was donated. We tried to give a variety when we made up bags but you have to work with what you get. We tried to use the donated money to round out the selctions of what was donated- ie they try to have some type of protein if there is no meat, like beans, tuna fish, or peanut butter.

[sandst]

Our church runs a small food pantry. They tend to ask for what they are low on on the bulletin but to be honest I am not very good on reading these things. On the other hand I would never donate expired foods.They have some funds that they use to buy toiletries and some protein to add to the boxes.On the other hand I would hate to think what we would do if we needed assistance because we have a household with severe allergies and would be unable to use most of the foods and toiletries.The members at our church are very nice and the sunday school teachers have been known to buy special sweets for my kids due to their allergies, it is hard to think what to do when in need.

Edited August 7, 2012 by sandst

[Carrie12345]

I give things to an older gentleman who volunteers at our local FP. I once gave him a huge bag of toothbrushes, toothpastes, deoderants, and femenine hygiene. He said he'd have to take it to the women's shelter. Men don't brush their teeth, I guess? :confused:

 

We have a charity garden that provides great produce in season, but good luck during the rest of the year! :glare:

 

I volunteered to provide unlimited homemade laundry detergent, but they aren't allowed to take anything that isn't NIP. But they will take tomatoes from my garden with no knowledge of how I grow. :001_huh:

[Jpoy85]

Our church runs a small food pantry. They tend to ask for what they are low on on the bulletin but to be honest I am not very good on reading these things. On the other hand I would never donate expired foods.They have some funds that they use to buy toiletries and some protein to add to the boxes.On the other hand I would hate to think what we would do if we needed assistance because we have a household with severe allergies and would be unable to use most of the foods and toiletries.The members at our church are very nice and the sunday school teachers have been known to buy special sweets for my kids due to their allergies, it is hard to think what to do when in need.

 

That would be tough! Ya never know though, maybe youll be the one to start a pantry that gives out to special dietary needs and then itll take off!!

 

:auto:

[duckens]

Our family has started utilizing "recycled" food from a local charity.

 

The food distributed is food that would have been discarded by local grocery stores, restaurants, and growers. We go twice a week.

 

One goes through the line and can choose what to select or reject. Everything offered so far has been usable in some form or another. For example: past-their-prime bananas for banana bread, mushroom stems that I just shredded for homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup, and cooked potatoes (probably for "potato skins") that we refry for hashbrowns.

 

We have also received whole pizzas, fancy bakery cakes, frozen sausage, yogurt, and lots of fresh produce (corn on the cob, greens, tomatoes, lemons, and zucchini).

 

This charity requires no paperwork or proof of financial need. Several regulars make use of this "free market" for environmental reasons.

 

The food that is not distributed at the set times (M & Th, 4-4:30) is carted over to the sponsoring church where free meals are offered several nights a week. The food that is not claimed by the end of the night is given to a farmer to feed his pigs.

I would not label our family as "food insecure," but this does stretch our food dollars. This frees up money to save for a house...or to spend on homeschooling curriculum. :D

 

***Note: In some communities this service would be illegal because it would be considered exploitation of the poor to offer past-date food.***

[AimeeM]

So, if someone were wanting to donate a specific amount of goods to a local food pantry every two weeks, but they were uncomfortable (because of rumors about mishandled funds) giving actual cash, what would you say food pantries are most often in need of (collectively, if you've been to many)?

I assume I should inquire first as to how much access the pantry has to a freezer or fridge, right?

[Jpoy85]

So, if someone were wanting to donate a specific amount of goods to a local food pantry every two weeks, but they were uncomfortable (because of rumors about mishandled funds) giving actual cash, what would you say food pantries are most often in need of (collectively, if you've been to many)?

I assume I should inquire first as to how much access the pantry has to a freezer or fridge, right?

 

Most pantries have a fridge, but not all have a freezer.

 

If you were going to give and I could tell you what I need or would want? Id say meat source of some sort, toiletries of some sort, medicine (even tylenol can be out of the budget for some). Most pantries can get access to fruits/veggies of some sort + canned goods and basic boxed goods.

 

For example, I can go to this one pantry and they give you a cart and tell you how many pounds you can have. My family can get 63lbs. You have the freedom to pick what you want off the shelves. Sometimes they have good things, like Tuna and even Juice. Sometimes its a bad month and you can get tons of cans of spaghetti os and noodles. I know a ton of people go there so nothing lasts (its the cities main food pantry), but i know if they got more donations of Tuna, Juice, even bottles water, etc it would stretch to more people.

 

I would think of things that make it stretch. Beans, Potatoes, Water, even a roll of hamburger can stretch spaghetti.

[6packofun]

I agree about protein sources! Our church offers a food distribution day where we get food purchased from the local food bank (Cleveland)--$500 to feed approx. 250-275 families. We always have plenty of breads/grains and canned goods, although canned fruit is rare for some reason.

 

Proteins like canned chicken or tuna, peanut butter, eggs (I'd even love to see dried eggs!) seem to be a rare treat. We get dried beans regularly. I'd like to see quinoa, too! There are many vegetarians who go through our food line who would love it.

 

Toilet paper, diapers, laundry detergent, toothpaste and shampoo are the non-food items most requested from us.

[AimeeM]

If they do have a freezer, are they allowed to separate bulk purchases (from, say, Costco) of meat to distribute in smaller amounts? If I were to give a large back of chicken breasts, and each chicken breast is individually wrapped in a larger bag of many, would they be ALLOWED to stretch them?

Most pantries have a fridge, but not all have a freezer.

 

If you were going to give and I could tell you what I need or would want? Id say meat source of some sort, toiletries of some sort, medicine (even tylenol can be out of the budget for some). Most pantries can get access to fruits/veggies of some sort + canned goods and basic boxed goods.

 

For example, I can go to this one pantry and they give you a cart and tell you how many pounds you can have. My family can get 63lbs. You have the freedom to pick what you want off the shelves. Sometimes they have good things, like Tuna and even Juice. Sometimes its a bad month and you can get tons of cans of spaghetti os and noodles. I know a ton of people go there so nothing lasts (its the cities main food pantry), but i know if they got more donations of Tuna, Juice, even bottles water, etc it would stretch to more people.

 

I would think of things that make it stretch. Beans, Potatoes, Water, even a roll of hamburger can stretch spaghetti.

[Mrs Mungo]

Does anyone else go to a Food Pantry to get help with food? This includes Food Pantries, the old Angel Food Ministries, etc.

 

Do you like your pantry? dislike it? Wish you could change something?

 

:bigear:

 

I wish that some of the pantries would offer more basic things, for example: TP, soap, shampoo, laundry soap. Whether you are low income or homeless, you still need these things. I dont know if its all about the donations, because I wonder if some pantries just dont think about offering these things?

 

The last food pantry where I regularly helped usually had specific items that we would put in each bag-pasta, pasta sauce, canned meats (especially tuna, chicken and spam-it was in Hawaii), cereal, shelf-stable milk, beans, canned fruit and veggies, etc. Anything beyond those staple items came from donations. We never got donations for things like soap. Most of our families did not have regular access to a refrigerator, so we didn't do anything refrigerated or frozen. We never gave anything expired away, that is crazy.

 

My dd recently volunteered at a Operation Inasmuch, which focuses on the homeless. They said they used to give out personal grooming kits, but the people were just taking out the one thing they needed right then and tossing the rest because they cannot carry too many things. So, they now only give away travel sized bottles.

Edited August 7, 2012 by Mrs Mungo

[Soror]

The things most needed at our pantry was toiletries and protein- dried/canned beans, canned chicken/tuna, and peanut butter.

[elegantlion]

Keep in mind the areas I've lived, you cannot use food assistance for toiletries or paper products. We got a huge bottle of conditioner from a food pantry last year, I'm still using it.

 

toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, feminine products, soap or body wash, shampoo, and toilet paper could be very popular.

 

One pantry I worked at kept peanut butter and jelly aside for families with younger kids.

[lanabug]

Our church pantry provides a box with enough dry goods/staples for at least 2-3 meals that feed 4 people, plus a bag of toiletries.

 

We try to put in mixes that only require adding water, not milk or eggs since many people can't afford to purchase those or may not have access to refrigeration.

 

Our boxes contain:

Complete Meals

Hamburger/Tuna/Chicken Helper

1 large can chicken

2 cans tuna

spaghetti noodles

spaghetti sauce

rice

beans

2 cans vegetables (not 2 of the same)

4-6 individual oatmeal packets

muffin mix or biscuit mix

pancake mix

syrup

peanut butter

jelly

1 box cereal

packet of dry milk

2 cans fruit

2-4 pkgs ramen noodles

snack items such as raisin boxes, cheese crackers, beef jerky, fruit snacks, granola bars, etc.

 

The toiletry bags contain:

Laundry detergent

Dish soap

Bar soap

Shampoo

Toothpaste

2 toothbrushes

Toilet paper

Deodorant

 

We sometimes provide a small package of diapers or baby food. Some weeks we may give out 5-10 boxes, other weeks none, so we do not keep frozen/refrigerated items.

 

We've gotten our food boxes down to a science! :) We have food drives 3-4x/year and only request the above items so that no one gets really weird stuff. We immediately throw away any expired items and keep the pantry shelves stocked so that the oldest stuff goes out first.

 

Lana

[Jpoy85]

Well I just came back from the new one!

 

Heres what i walked away with and the process (for those interested):

 

They open at 9:30. They are 5mins away, i could walk there, but im NOT carrying boxes/bags of food with 2 kids. So i drove. I parked right by the door. Usually there is NO help to your car. I was #3 in line. I got there at 8:45. Later than i would of liked, but i was #3, so that wasnt too bad. (before we moved if the pantry opened at 9:30, for #3 you had to be there at 8:00!)

We went downstairs, where the lady called me back to her desk. she had me fill out an application (stating income/what help if any i get/everyone in household), she took our SSN cards, my ID, and proof of address- no proof of income required. She put me in the computer. She gave me a card so that next time i dont need to bring all that stuff (first time ive ever been to a place like that with a card, but it will save time i guess).

They did have doughnuts and juice while you waited too.

Then they gave you a volunteer and a grocery cart. She held the list and told you how many of each you could get from the shelves, but you got to pick. (ill list what i got below).....

Then after all that you got to go to the next room and you could pick veggies and bread.

Then you could go to the clothing room. There was NO limit on how much you could get. IF you needed something specific (a bed), you could request it.

Then you took your stuff to the car and went home. I can go back 1x a month.

 

Here is what I got:

35 cloth napkins (to save on buying napkins/paper towels)

3 shirts for DH

3 shirts for C and L

1 skirt for me

2 bathing suit cover ups for C and L

4 coasters

 

(i would of got more but C and L were there with me and i couldnt look like i wanted)

 

for food:

1lb hamburger

1pk porkchops

4 bananas (rotten, so i threw them out)

Misc breads- cin. rolls, bagels, etc.

1 bag doughnuts

1 box cereal

1 box vanilla wafers

1 bag noodles

1pk ramen

1pk pancake mix

2 boxes mac n cheese

2 bags popcorn

4 granola bars

4 individual bags pretzels

1 box spaghetti

1 pk cookies

48oz peanut butter

45oz spaghetti sauce

4 cans peaches

2 cans fruit

1 can pork n beans

1 can corn

1 can green beans

1 can peas

1 can potatoes

1 can soup

2 cans spaghetti os

4 ears of corn

1 bag potatoes

1 cabbage

2 collard greens

2 yellow squash

1 tomato

2 green peppers

 

 

Extras:

1 box laundry soap

1 shampoo (full size)

1 conditioner (full size)

1 deodorant

1 bag dog treats

 

girls picked out misc toys (dolls) and books.

 

Overall? Im happy. I have been to better, i have been to worse, but this will help stretch what we do have and for that im thankful! :wub:

 

ETA: I know it seems like i got a lot of junk, we are actually stocked in the cabinet and so this was some extras and a few things we could of got at the store, but couldnt (ex: cookies)

Edited August 7, 2012 by Jpoy85

[mommaduck]

We use ours maybe once or twice a year during the rough patches. My oldest children also work there as volunteers. You get some canned stuff, a bit of meat, a few fresh veggies as available, and a lot of grain items (I note this because my oldest daughter cannot eat any grains).

 

Clothing closet is on another day, but we've never used it. This week the oldest two are up there helping sort clothes and bag food. I might finally go this week to see what they have.

[FaithManor]

We run a very small food pantry. We don't have the resources or donations to do a well stocked one. So, we do appointments only, one day per week, and we give out the same thing every week because the deacons' wives shop for the groceries. There is some variety depending on which fruits, veggies, or meats are on sale, but generally about the same line-up.

 

1 bag apples or oranges though right now it might be a 1/2 peck of peaches or three lbs. of cherries or a blend of cherries and something else because we use a farmer's market for part of this.

 

1 bag romaine lettuce

 

1 10 lbs bag potatoes

 

2 lbs. organic basamati rice

 

4 cans pinto beans or kidney beans or blend of both

 

1 jar spaghetti sauce

 

1 box organic pasta - usually white because many families won't eat whole wheat

 

1 bag organic baby carrots, plus one large onion, and choices amongst several veggies donated by area gardeners such as zucchini, cucumbers, radishes, broccoli, cauliflower, or squash

 

4 cans mandarin oranges

 

1 jar applesauce

 

1 jar organic, sweetened peanut butter

 

2 loaves bread

 

1 jar salsa

 

1 pkt taco seasoning mix

 

1 16.oz bag shredded cheddar cheese

 

1 16 oz. bag mozzarella

 

1 lb. butter

 

2 dozen eggs

 

1 16 oz. container sour cream

 

4 cans tuna

 

1 can chicken breast for making sandwiches

 

1 roasting chicken

 

2 lbs ground beef (sometimes it is organic, donated by two different families in our congregation that raise beef and dairy cattle)

 

2 lbs. frozen venison roasts or ground (donated by area hunters each year)

 

1 pkg. hard shells for tacos

 

4 cans green beans

 

Then from the personal care items, once per month a family can qualify for:

 

1 pkg. disposable razors and can of shaving cream

 

1 regular size shampoo and conditioner

 

1 or 2 deodorants depending on how many came in

 

12 rolls of toilet paper

 

1 box kleenex

 

1 bar of soap - we are low on donations there

 

1 tube toothpaste and once every six months, each family member can get a new toothbrush... we keep a file on each family that utilizes our church's services so that we can keep track and this way we don't have someone taking a new toothbrush every month....we'd run out too soon.

 

1 floss - every six months...it comes in as a donation from a local dentist so we don't have more than that each month.

 

1 pkg. choice of pads or tampons per female as needed in each household every month. Unfortunately, we can't afford to do more than that and hope they can make due.

 

 

We also have "fireboxes" for families that have house fires. We have boxes for men, women, and children containing combs, brushes, shampoo, conditioner, soap, shaving items, ponytail holders and barrettes, deodorant, clean underwear in a variety of sizes - new, we don't accept donations of used - pair of socks, stuffed animal for little ones, legos for older boyds, my little pony or similar or elementary girls, and McDonald's/Burger King certificates for the teens in case they play sports and have to have food money for away games...these are typical stops for the coaches to make, one set of bath towels for each family member, laundry soap, and of course they can avail themselves of the above groceries immediately plus additional personal care items that might not be in the boxes. The quilting ladies also made up 20 full/queen size quilts and each family gets one...sort of a "with love from us" type snuggly gift. They are usually made out of donated cottons, simple patterns, tied instead of hand or machine stitched for finishing, but though they aren't "show" worthy quilts, we think they show a lot of love.

 

That's it. We don't have the resources to have people come in and "grocery shop" from our shelves. There is a larger food pantry about 14 miles from here and there is a baby pantry about 12 miles away that tries to help a little with diapers and clothing. The crisis pregnancy center does an excellent job helping families provide for their wee ones so we just haven't really gotten into that since there are better resources available. Our church gives about $3000.00 per year to the crisis pregnancy center and we have three volunteers that help there. So, we feel like our little country church is doing it's part to help out.

 

I do think that for the most part, with the economy in this state being so very poor, donations at many food and clothing pantries is way down.

 

Faith