Food Ministry Year-End 2022 Update
FOOD MINISTRY UPDATE — January 2023
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Our team had a year of progress and change in 2022. Barbara Murphy and her Welcome Table Wednesdays dinner teams helped to start the dinners back up in September. We have had amazing meals and fellowship under the challenging circumstances of not being able to use the kitchen or host the dinners in the big room. Thanks to all who have helped make this happen and have attended.
Our Indoor Choice Pantry (ICP) opened in the fall after much hard work, planning, ordering and set up. Michael Olmedo is the coordinator for this outreach program. The source of food for the ICP at present is the Maryland Food Bank (MFB). We ordered over 10,000 pounds of food with a value of $15,000 to stock the pantry. In 2022, all the food we ordered was free, but that has changed for 2023. We are currently open for appointments on Wednesday from 5:00-7:00 PM and Sundays from Noon-2:00 PM.
Our once-a-month Pantry on the Go (POG) has been happening for years and is widely attended by volunteers and recipients. Richard Williams and Pam Zavitz have been the coordinators for this program. Food for POG has been supplied for free by Baltimore County and the Maryland Food Bank. January’s POG gave out food to 166 families and benefited 641 family members. It has been exciting this year to have student volunteers from Dulaney High School.
Significant changes beyond our control are causing us to have to shift the ordering of food for the ICP and POG. Baltimore County is no longer supplying us with free food for POG. The MFB will now be charging us for any food we order, except for produce boxes for our monthly POG. Blessedly, we submitted a budget for 2023 to the finance committee and vestry, and the amount of $71,700 was approved for our three food outreach programs. We also intend to apply for grants and form an alliance with a local grocery store.
I want to thank our team members and all the volunteers who have helped with the Wednesday dinners, the POG and the ICP. Also, thanks to those who specifically donate money to the food program. Our programs are ongoing and growing, so your continued support is appreciated. We invite you to attend dinners, volunteer at POG and at ICP, and come down and see the indoor pantry. We couldn’t do it without you.
With gratitude and thanksgiving to all for making a difference in our community,
Cathy Siperko, Food Ministry Team Chair
To volunteer for the Indoor Choice Pantry, click HERE.
To contact a member of the Food Ministry Team, click HERE.
Want to share photos or news from any of the Food Ministry events?
Send to church via Communications HERE.
