Give us your tired, your poor, your hungry
Published 9:40 am Monday, September 19, 2016
- Volunteers with the Ahoskie Food Pantry enjoyed a meal at Thursday’s fundraising program held in the Fellowship Hall of First Presbyterian Church. The Pantry is a two-fold operation, serving families as well as a unique program that targets needy children. | Staff Photos by Keith Hoggard
AHOSKIE – Sharing with those in need is important, and so is the fundraising and volunteer efforts of that social outreach.
The Ahoskie Food Pantry held a Volunteer Appreciation Dinner and Fundraiser at First Presbyterian Church on Thursday evening.
The food for the delicious meal was donated and volunteers, including early college high school students, with the Food Pantry prepared and served it.
Bill Arrington of the Ahoskie Food Pantry said officials at Ahoskie Elementary, Bearfield Primary, Hertford County Middle, and Riverview Elementary help determine which students get a Power Pack meal each Friday (while school is in session) in order for deserving students to have a few nourishing meals over the weekend.
The Backpack Ministry gives food to over 200 children each week. Each food bag contains milk, juice, small cans of beef stew and pasta, and apple sauce.
The parents or guardian of each qualified student must sign a permission slip in order to enroll their child into the meals program offered through the Ahoskie Food Pantry.
Shown here is one of the “Back Pack Ministry” bags distributed each Friday to public school students in Hertford County in order for them to have nutritious meals over the weekends.
Food Pantry Secretary Vicky Overman said the Backpack Ministry started in 2011 with nine children per week from Bearfield and has now grown to over 900 Backpack meals per month.
She said it started because caring teachers noticed on Mondays that some students hadn’t eaten since Friday. Students need good nutrition in order to stay awake and alert in the classroom.
However, that good nutrition comes with a hefty price tag.
Ahoskie Food Pantry officials said from January through July of this year, food costs totaled $19,903 for the Power Pack Ministry. The minimum projection for FY 2016 for the program is $45,144. That breaks down to serving 209 students per week, times four weeks in a month, equaling 836 Power Pack meals per month at a cost of $6 per meal.
Overman said it is heartwarming to see so many volunteers and donors to the Food Pantry.
“They show their love of the Lord by giving to the least of these,” she said.
In the Food Pantry’s program to feed families in need, Overman said that from January through August, 758 families have received food, which totals 1,707 individuals.
This is a 16 percent increase over last year she said.
She also said 26 percent of people living in Hertford County receive Food Stamps.
For the regular Food Pantry, costs for January through July of this year totaled $19,737. Ahoskie Food Pantry officials estimated total food costs of $39,480 for all of 2016.
The Food Pantry currently has about 75 volunteers from four religions: Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist, and Episcopalian. The Food Pantry welcomes other churches to become more involved.
More contributions would allow the Food Pantry to help even more people in need, Overman said. Because the Pantry has received its 501 (c) 3 status by the IRS, all donations are tax deductible. Donations can be mailed to the Ahoskie Food Pantry, PO Box 159, Ahoskie, NC 27910.
The Ahoskie Food Pantry is open from 9:30 a.m. until noon Monday through Friday at First Presbyterian Church.
