The Cupboard is Bare
If you were in church at EBC this last weekend, one of the things I shared during the announcement time was a reminder that we have a food cupboard, from which we occasionally give out food to people in need. It is one of a handful of ways we seek to be a blessing to people in our community who have significant needs. Our stock of the key foods that people most often need is low, or else very expired (we just cleaned it out and had cans in there that were several years old that we tossed).
I will admit that there is a hesitation in sharing this need. Not because I’m afraid you all won’t want to help, nor because I think people wish we didn’t ask. No, my hesitation is that, often, we are too good at bringing in donations! What do I mean? Well, for one, our food cupboard is not enormous. There are space limitations. So we’re not needing anyone to bring in a pallet of tuna fish. We’d encourage smaller donations, rather than huge donations. And the other reality is that, in any given month, we probably give out food to a half dozen people or less, so we don’t have a line out the door. But it is really good that we can be a blessing to the folks who do come by with a need, and be able to give them food that they can use and will eat. I hope that also doesn’t discourage any giving, but we just want to share realistically about the need.
If you would like to contribute to the food cupboard, we are collecting food through June 15 (or until we tell you we have enough!). There is a list below that is a good guideline for things which are most helpful. A good rule of thumb is to not donate anything you wouldn’t eat yourself, and also to not donate items that are expired or almost expired. Everything needs to be non-perishable since we don’t have room to store food in our refrigerators. You can leave the food in the office in front of Sharon’s desk. And if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to myself or to Sharon Pack.
Ryan Donovan
PS – If the food cupboard would ever be helpful for you and your family, please do feel free to make use of it. It is for anyone in need, certainly including those within the church body!
List of Food Items to Donate
Rice
Pasta
Mac and Cheese
Soups and Stews (condensed as well as ready to eat)
Chili
Spaghetti Sauce
Canned Meats (chicken, tuna, beef, etc.)
Canned Fruit
Peanut Butter
Oil (smaller bottles)
List of Food Items to NOT Donate (these items just don’t get taken)
Canned Vegetables
Instant Potatoes or Powdered Milk
Boxed Food such as Cake and Cookie Mixes that require other ingredients to make
List of Non-Food Items to Donate
(these are often asked for since they can’t be purchased with food stamps – regular size are better than travel size or large size)
Toothbrushes/Toothpaste
Deodorant
Bar Soap
Shampoo/Conditioner
Smaller sizes of laundry detergent