Trader Joe’s has blessed us with an abundance of food that now requires more workers to sort. Three older volunteers can no longer handle the demands of packing food boxes on busy days. Parking attendants are needed to direct guests where to park as parking space is very limited.
Please direct any prospective volunteers to Rita, whose information is below.
If you are interested in applying for a position, please contact Rita at 541-447-7662.
Pantry business doubled last year (Figure 1) which put a huge strain on us as well as our primary suppliers, Oregon Food Bank and Neighbor Impact. We now spend $3,500 a month for eggs, milk, meat, and canned fruit which we used to get for free. In addition to food donated by local groceries, we pick up 3 loads a week from Trader Joe’s who recently designated us as one of three Neighborhood Share Partners.
Emergency Services are in high demand as families struggle with rising housing and food costs. We helped 320 households with 492 adults and 386 children last calendar year at a cost of $141,700 (Table 1). Single parent households received the most help (Figure 2). Helping families stay in their homes was the greatest need (Figure 3). The extraordinary support we were able to provide last calendar was made possible by a very generous donation from an individual who was impressed by the friendliness of Prineville people and wanted to share the blessings he had received.
The Pantry food budget is fully funded, however our emergency help fund will be exhausted by the end of March without additional donations. Please consider increasing your donation or starting a monthly donation through our web site. Your support is critical to our operation as we rely totally on donations. We are all volunteers. There is no paid staff. Your donation is spent locally to support your neighbor in need. Please help us continue our ministry.
Are you looking for a rewarding ministry serving others for 3 hours a week? Volunteers welcome guests, assist them with food selections, restock pantry shelves, pick up and deliver food, answer phones, etc. Please call 458-231-7184 if you are interested in volunteering.
Autumn is my favorite season. I love the cooler temperatures, the beautiful fall colors, and the leaves that decorate our pantry hallway carpet. Autumn is also harvest time and a time to give thanks for bountiful blessings. I am thankful for our generous donors who make it possible for us to operate the food pantry and provide emergency services to those in need. I am also grateful to our many dedicated volunteers who work joyfully and at some risk to themselves serving others.
Our pantry guests are thankful they can once again choose the food they desire. At the start of the pandemic, we closed our shopping-style pantry and switched to giving out standard food boxes with only a few guest choices. Now that our staff are vaccinated and have some protection, guests are again welcomed into our pantry waiting room where they mark what they want, and their food boxes are packed while they wait.
Hunger Prevention Coalition of Bend gave us a generous donation along with a challenge to improve the nutritional value of our food offerings. We responded by procuring meat from the 1017 Project and purchasing canned vegetables, eggs, soups, and milk when they aren’t available from our regional food bank operated by Neighbor Impact in Redmond. I am grateful for the weekly donations of food we receive from our local grocers, the produce donated by local gardeners this past season, and the generous donation from patrons of Grocery Outlet’s “End Hunger” campaign.
I am proud of the vital role we play helping folks in emergency situations who don’t qualify for government programs or whose urgency demands immediate assistance. We are the backup for those who are one paycheck away from homeless. Our top priority is helping families stay in their homes by assisting them with rent and utility payments. Another top priority is providing temporary shelter to those experiencing domestic abuse, eviction, or other loss of home when homeless shelters aren’t appropriate or don’t have space.
I am thankful for the collaborative ministry we share with nine local churches who refer people in need to us and supported us with over $16,000 in donations this past fiscal year. I pray that you also have much to be thankful for this fall season.
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