Mission in November

Valley View Food Bank

This year for Thanksgiving, consider sharing your blessings with others through a gift of food to Valley View Community Food Bank. Founded in March 2007, the food bank’s mission “is to serve those in need with compassion and respect while providing the resources for wholesome nutritious food.” Unfortunately, with the holidays approaching, supplies at the food bank are critically low.

According to a recent announcement by founder Jesse Ramirez, Valley View Community Food Bank is two weeks away from running out of canned goods. The food bank serves approximately 300 people a day, so their food stocks may be exhausted before Thanksgiving. Their website reports that their client intake has seen an increase of almost 65% new families and individuals looking for resources and assistance. Ramirez was quoted in the Daily News-Sun as saying, “I’ve had to stop helping out agencies with food since we are running so low on certain items.”

As usual we will be collecting food for Valley View on the first Sunday of the month (November 2), and a box will also be available in Swain Hall for food donations through November 18, the night of this month’s Fellowship Dinner. Any type of canned goods would be helpful; other items the food bank always welcomes include:

• Peanut butter, jelly, jams, pancake syrup
• Cereal, hot and cold
• Bread mixes: pancake, biscuit, cornbread, cake
• Fruit juice
• Baby food, formula, diapers, wipes
• Toiletries: toilet paper, toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, etc.

You can also drop off holiday food donations such as turkeys and mashed potatoes at the food bank yourself; it’s located at 10615 W. Peoria Avenue.