August is Food Pantry Month

August is Emmanuel’s month to collect nonperishable food items for the Ecumenical Community Food Pantry of Norwood. The pantry is housed over at Grace Episcopal Church and serves individuals and families in need in both Norwood and Westwood. The pantry currently serves about 280 families, which is down somewhat from recent years as the economy has picked up a bit. While that is encouraging, it continues to be a struggle for many to put food on the table.

Thinking of the clients served:

  • Many are single adults, often men, who live in rooms without cooking facilities and might be lucky enough to have or have access to a microwave.
  • Large families struggle to make these foods stretch, while trying to make the meals nutritious.

To help with some of these challenges, we’d like to suggest that as members choose to make donations to the pantry that you try creating a meal or ‘menu’ based on the client shopping list/suggested items.  Type up that menu and include it along with the items needed making up that meal.

General donations of course are still welcome.  Donations can also include “miscellaneous” items as well.

Cans of:

·        Soup, broth

·        Fruit and vegetables

·        Tuna, meats, and stews, hash

·        Baked beans and chili

  ·        Juice

·        Peanut butter & jelly

·        Pasta Sauce, tomatoes, tomato paste

 

SPECIAL NEED for cans of the following: chunky soup, tuna, beans, meat, and fruit.

Packaged Foods:

  • Pasta, macaroni and cheese, packaged dinners
  • Cold and hot cereals
  • Cake and brownie mixes, muffin, pie or bread mix
  • Jello or pudding
  • Baby food

Miscellaneous Items:

  • Spices, salad dressings
  • Sauces
  • Baking powder, soda
  • Hygiene items – soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, feminine hygiene products
  • Laundry items – detergent, softener, dryer sheets
  • Diapers

Please make sure that all food donated has not been opened if it is not individually wrapped, and that the inner packaging is still intact. Please, no expired food.

To read more about the pantry and what to donate, visit http://www.norwoodpantry.org or speak to Wayne and Cindy Zafft.

Donations can be placed in the boxes in the front of the Sanctuary either during the offering time at worship or at any other time on Sunday or during the week.  We will be collecting throughout the month of August.