Food To You is now collecting:

for distribution in February.

Please turn in donations prior to February 2nd if possible.

NOW DISTRIBUTING:

Macaroni and Cheese

These are the items that volunteers are asked to collect and bring when their group volunteers. Others are welcome to donate as well. Contact Coordinator for delivery instructions.

March Food Item:

Pasta

Please try to collect and deliver these items prior to the second Thursday of the month in which they are being distributed so they can get to those who need them.

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To all Charis Ministry Partner Congregations, Members, and Friends:

Greetings and God’s grace to you this beautiful fall season!

Here’s an update on this important work that we do together. There is both good news and some challenges. Thank you so much to all who help serve our neighbors in need in the Sioux Falls area. Here is a summary of news for this fall:

The number of guests served at both Food to You and Necessities for Neighbors has increased in the last several months. Necessities for Neighbors is now serving close to 250 families at each distribution at Peace. At Food to You our numbers of families served in the months of June-September went up by 24% from the same months in 2010. We averaged 444 households served at each distribution in the past four months. Usage has dropped somewhat since school started with lunches, breakfasts, backpacks, etc. available, but is still higher than last year.

The number of guests served at both Food to You and Necessities for Neighbors has increased in the last several months. (Necessities for Neighbors gives out laundry soap, feminine hygiene products, diapers and wipes, and toilet paper the first Sunday of each month at Peace Lutheran Church.) They are now serving close to 250 families at each month’s distribution. At Food to You our numbers of families served in the months of June-September went up by 24% from the same months in 2010. We averaged 444 households served at each distribution. Usage has dropped somewhat since school started with lunches, breakfasts, backpacks, etc. available, but is still higher than last year.

Charis Ministry Partners, the parent organization for both of these programs, has received a sales tax exemption license from the State of South Dakota. Any purchases made for either program will be exempt from state sales tax because we applied and qualified as a non-profit relief organization.

A recent raise in transportation and handling costs from Feeding South Dakota has strained our capacity to procure groceries for Food to You distributions. Thanks to groups who have sponsored/volunteered lately and donated the newly suggested amount of $250-300. This helps a great deal.

During late August and most of September we have had little or no government commodities to distribute (TEFAP). This has reduced the amount of food we are able to give by about half at each distribution. We have spent more to order off the food bank’s purchase menu to fill in the gap so that our guests can get close to 20 pounds of food each time. This situation took place at the end of the fiscal year for the TEFAP program at the state and federal level. The commodities are now available, but only a few categories. Please check out the front page article in the Argus Leader, Monday, October 10, “High Prices Put Strain on Food Aid for Needy,” for excellent information about this problem.

Food to You has recently been blessed by a collaboration of efforts between Rejoice! Lutheran Church and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Items were purchased and assembled for over 800 hygiene packs! This is a great help as we distribute these to families every other month. Sioux Falls Christian Elementary has taken on collecting and donating hygiene packs for their service project for the 2011-12 school year – the second time they have done this. Our ability to care for our community becomes possible through these kinds of gifts. Thanks to all who donate both hygiene and food of the month items, in whatever quantity they are needed and appreciated by our guests.

Here are some ways you can help the Food to You Mobile Food Pantry this fall:

Be sure to remind the hunters you know to consider donating game through the Sportsmen against Hunger Program. Food to You is a recipient of this ground meat when it becomes available. It usually is distributed through Feeding South Dakota to FTY. Any locker that processes wild game can tell hunters how to go about this.

Conduct a toilet paper or special food of the month collection for a period of time or with a particular group or event in your organization. We now distribute just toilet paper every other month (rather than hygiene packs) and are always in need of this. The foods of the month for the coming months are listed below. Remember to collect the items at least month ahead of when they are distributed. Please email me for delivery plans.

April – Cereal

Sign up with Pastor Ann Rosendale at Peace Lutheran to sponsor a Necessities for Neighbors distribution held on the first Sunday of every month. You may collect one or more of the needed items – laundry soap, diapers & wipes, feminine hygiene products, and toilet paper – for that day. You may also provide a few volunteers.

One more reminder – it’s time to sign up to sponsor/volunteer for a Food to You distribution in January, February, March, and beyond. The dates are already starting to fill. Thank you to all who are partners in this important effort to care for those in need in our community.

Karen

Karen L. Soli, Coordinator