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                                - 100 PATRONS CAMPAIGN  -

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The Arnold Food Pantry is excited about a new giving opportunity.  The pantry is seeking 100 Patrons who will donate $10.00 per month, on an ongoing basis, to ensure that those in need continue to be fed.  The Arnold Food Pantry donates enough food to serve approximately 250 families a month.  Last year 12,631 individuals were provided food; yes, the need is that great.

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The Arnold community and northern Jefferson County area have long supported the pantry at fundraisers and with one-time donations.  Now, we

are offering a unique opportunity to friends, families and businesses, seeking 100 Patrons who will be recognized in a variety of manners.  A recognition display with the name of the Patron will be on view at the pantry, along with a letter of appreciation and acknowledgement of the patronage at an upcoming public event.  Further, all donations remain tax deductible.

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It is our goal to secure the 100 Patrons by July 1.  We hope that you will strongly consider becoming a Patron.  The ongoing contribution can be made through this website by going to the "Donate Via PayPal" link shown above.  In order to ensure that you are included on the recognition display, please contact Ed Fitzhenry at (636) 287-3663.  

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         THE ARNOLD FOOD PANTRY IS, WELL, A HYBRID

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For the individual or family that relies of the Arnold Food Pantry (AFP) for its nutritional needs, whether the pantry is a “food bank”, a “front-line” distributor, or something else, is likely not important. But there are such distinctions and many different models.

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A major distinction between food banks in general, is whether or not they operate as a "front line" model, giving out food directly to the hungry, or whether they operate as the “warehouse” or “distribution center” model, supplying food to intermediaries such as food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and other front-line organizations. According to Ag Against Hunger, in this country the standard model is for food banks to act as warehouses rather than as suppliers to the end user, though there are exceptions. In other countries, food banks usually do hand out food parcels direct to hungry people, providing a similar service that in the United States is offered by food pantries.

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In this country, cities will often have a single food bank which acts as a centralized warehouse and will serve several hundred front line agencies. In our area Operation Food Search operates a warehouse in University City that serves as a single collection and distribution point for food donations. A food bank operates much like a for-profit food distributor, but in this case, it distributes food to charities, not to food retailers. There is often no charge to the charities, but some food banks do charge a small "shared maintenance" fee to help defray the cost of storage and distribution.

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For many of the food banks in the U.S., most of their donated food comes from food left over from the normal processes of for-profit companies. It can come from any part of the food chain, e.g. from growers who have produced too much; from manufacturers who overproduced; or from retailers who over-ordered. As noted in a previous article, the AFP receives much of its food from retailers such as Dierbergs, Schnucks and Shop N Save, among others.  Often the product is approaching or past its "sell by" or “best by” date. In such cases, the food bank or pantry, as should the ultimate consumer, remain vigilant in looking at these dates prior to consumption. 

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Other sources of food include the general public, sometimes in the form of can or food drives, and government programs that buy and distribute excess farm products mostly to help support higher commodity prices. Our pantry is the beneficiary of such drives through the efforts of the Boy Scouts, Arnold library, US Postal Services, and local churches. Food banks can also buy food either at market prices, or from wholesalers and retailers at discounted prices, often at cost. A few food banks have even taken over their own farms, though such initiatives have not always been successful.

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Summer can be a challenging time in regions where school children are usually given regular free meals when school is in session. However, during the summer, these children may go without a regular meal or lunch. Last summer and planned for this summer as well, the AFP will be donating pre-made lunches to children in the Dunklin School district.

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As the title to the article implies, AFP is a “hybrid”. AFP is certainly on the front line, distributing food it receives from retailers and Operation Food Search to several hundred families per week. But more and more, AFP is becoming a distribution center as well. Weekly, AFP donates food to the Ozark Food Pantry and some local churches. Its recently renovated, temperature-controlled warehouse has increased the capacity for it to hold more food products and, thus, serve other food banks and pantries in need. 

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We Need Your Help:  Plastic Bags 
  
Like it or not, the world is beginning to move away from the plastic grocery bag.  You might have noticed stores such as ​Schnucks, ​ encourage you to bring in your own grocery bags and offer monthly cash drawings for participants.  Some countries and several states have already banned plastic grocery bags or will do so in the near future.  The primary reason for the ban is that plastic bags do not recycle well, are a common trash item along roads and in the wilds, and wreak havoc for plants and animals.   Thus, sometime in the near future the Arnold Food Pantry can expect its supply of plastic grocery bags to dwindle.  

 

Currently we make use of nearly 60,000 bags a year. What will we do?  We could apply for grants to purchase reusable bags for each client, but that might present problems of its own.  What would we do if a client forgets to bring the bags back for their next visit?  What if this becomes a frequent problem?  What if the bags are brought back to use again but are too soiled to use for food?   Instead of a few people trying to find these answers, why not ask everyone to help solve the problem.  If you have a solution, please let us know.  You can email us at weefeedtheyhungry.net or mail us with your suggestion.  Volunteers and stakeholders like you are what make this pantry the success it is today.  If we all can work together and solve problems before they become an issue, we can better assure the pantry’s success going forward.

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ARNOLD FOOD PANTRY DAY "WE FEED THE HUNGRY"

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February 1st, 2018 was proclaimed "ARNOLD FOOD PANTRY DAY" by Ron Counts, the mayor of the city of Arnold.  Our organization was started 35 years ago and is recognized as the largest non-denominational food distribution center in the St. Louis region that receives no government help.  

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DRIVER'S NEEDED FOR FOOD COLLECTION

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Food is collected from area stores 7 days a week and the Pantry needs additional drivers to assist with this food collection using the pantry vans. The times needed are mainly 8:30 am until 11 am. Please contact the pantry at 636-287-3663 if you would like to help.

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