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| The
Focus on Food Emergency Food Pantry
Last year the Focus on Food Emergency Food Pantry served more than 7,500 people from more than 2,900 families during the last year. Because families may use the Pantry up to six times in a year, these numbers include multiple visits by families. In all, 2,800 people from nearly 1,100 families used the Pantry during the year. About 60 percent of the families use the Pantry only one or two times per year. Families receive an amount of food sufficient for three days. The products that are given are nutritionally balanced and need a minimum of preservation and preparation. These include tuna, peanut butter, vegetables, fruit, cereal and bread, among other items. The larger the family, the more food they receive. When all of the goods distributed are totaled up, the number comes to nearly a quarter of a million items — 246,000 food items in all. That number includes more than 30,000 cans of soup, nearly 18,000 cans of tuna and more than 12,000 jars of peanut butter.Some of the food is purchased, but most of it is donated throughout the year. Some comes from big food drives like those of the Boy Scouts and the Postal Carriers. Some comes from congregations and service clubs that collect a “food of the month,” such as, for example, tuna in January or peanut butter in July. Some even comes from individuals who are trying to make a difference in their community. In addition to food it also takes hundreds of volunteer hours given by dedicated and hard-working individuals. Call today to find out how you can be a part of this quarter-million item effort. |
©2008, Project Understanding, Ventura, CA.