How you can make a difference lending a helping hand at pantry
The last time I wrote about the Interfaith Food Pantry in 1997, the number of families served was 140.
Now it is between 225 and 250.
"And one of our biggest concerns is that there are seniors out there on a fixed income who need food but won't come in because of pride or that they feel there is a stigma attached with coming here," said pantry chair Stan Johnston.
The good news is that the food pantry recently put on a 2,000-square-foot addition to its present building and is able to accommodate more shoppers. The bad news is that the pantry needs more volunteers to staff the new space and the number of volunteers has dwindled.
"We have dedicated volunteers from some of the area churches but we really need more people especially around the Shop and Share Days," he added.
Shop and Share happens every fall and spring. The fall dates are scheduled for Sept. 28-30 at Jewel on the west side and at Amstead's on the east side. During that time shoppers can take a list and buy some of the items that are used most often such as peanut butter, and macaroni and cheese.
"The people of Batavia are very generous about supporting the Shop and Share Days and we are so appreciative of that," added Johnston. "Thankfully, the event generates a lot of items for us, but that means we need additional staffers to do pick ups and help stock the shelves."
Johnston is quick to point out that many in Batavia have been very supportive of the pantry; Scout troops, service clubs, and of course the churches. He is also thankful for the businesses and corporations that regularly provide the pantry with financial support.
Even the new addition was made possible through donations of money for materials and donated labor.
"When the shelves are low, we just let people know and all of a sudden the people of Batavia are bringing food in," added Johnston. "But sometimes it is hard to find people to come in for a couple of hours."
The pantry has another crunch time in October when the ABATE ride takes place. On Oct. 14 the motorcyclists will be bring food donations to the pantry.
"It's always a big time for us," said Johnston.
The pantry also needs help on Mondays when the trucks deliver items from the Northern Illinois Food Bank. Then there is the Thanksgiving rush and Christmas.
"If we could just get three or four more volunteers at each of the two hour shifts and people to help with crunch from Shop and Share Days, I'd be happy," he added.
What does a volunteer do at the food pantry? He or she sorts the donations by food category and checks the product codes to make sure nothing is out of date. Then there is the stocking of shelves and assistance to those who need help.
Do you have a couple of hours to spare, once a week or even once a month? Call Stan Johnston and volunteer at (630) 879-3784.
You'll put a smile on Stan's face and doing something nice for someone else just might put a smile on your face as well.