Thanks to the prayers and support of our community and the power of the Holy Spirit, the Soup Kitchen and Food Bank were able to get through the busy month of December.
The wind storm that knocked out power to so many folks in our area also affected the Food Bank, and we were forced to close mid-morning on Thursday, December 20th.. When we reopened on the Friday afternoon, we needed to try and serve three times the number of clients that we would usually see in one afternoon. Donations collected on Thursday and Friday from our local partners also needed to be sorted… and then a shipment of donated turkeys arrived. Volunteers responded with grace, and people were fed. It really was Christmas: just like the first Christmas, things didn’t go according to our plans, but God had his own a plan in mind, and we answered His call.
Christmas may be over, but we always have a need for volunteers at our Soup Kitchen, Food Bank and Thrift Stores. There is a particularly urgent need for help at the Soup Kitchen on Tuesday mornings, for produce sorters at the Food Bank (weekday mornings plus Friday afternoon), and for receptionists at the Food Bank and Administration Office. One Tuesday morning recently, the meal at the Soup Kitchen had to be prepared and set-up by just two volunteers plus our staff supervisor – a job usually done by 8-9 people. At the Food Bank, by having a receptionist available, the supervisor can meet with clients and complete other essential tasks without interruption.