THE STORY CONTINUES, THE JOURNEY IS REFINED
By Jacqueline Ann Cordle
The Jacqueline McCalla-Cordle Children’s Fund Food Pantry has had a very successful year!
The full-time food pantry site has gotten to be a very smooth, operating organization. We passed our first site inspection with Mid-Ohio Food Bank with no deficiencies. Our district manager loved our equipment set up, our detailed policy and procedure book, staff training and all the food we give. Our daily costs of food was a little high but explainable with all the meat given to clients ad having to double stock the pantry for immediate and shelf food.
To become better stewards of our funding, 7 days of food would be given instead of nine days. Clients would be able to return for more food during the same month, if needed. USDA food guidelines would continue to be used in packing of food. Attention would be given to age of food.
In 2018, fundraising became major events: 2 boot drives, community auction and spaghetti dinner were held with great success. Monthly donors were increased, Partnerships with Kroger, Mid-Ohio Food Bank, Trillium Farms and Whirlpool continued with great success. Dobbins and Cordle families continued to cover overhead expenses. Individual donors increased and went for client food only. Community organizations, scout groups, school classes, FFA and area businesses, held fund/food drives for us. Community Foundation, ReMax, Peak Storage and local banks covered costs associated with holding fundraisers.
Overall community volunteer hours for the year were 2,892 hours. The boards are working boards and very active in the daily functions of the pantry and the fundraising events, Executive board meetings every other month with General Board meeting in March and November before major distributions.
Meals distributed in 2018 were 24,609 meals, 124 families and 556 clients. Spring and Winter school breaks were our main distribution times for free/reduced meal families in the school district. Walk in clients were serviced during the three days when pantry is scheduled open. Very few emergency calls for services were received.
The reduction in meals served was from giving packages of 7 days of food instead of 9 days of food for weekly client distribution and families did not have to return for more food. Clients finding jobs with the 2018 economy improvement also allowed clients to only need one week of food.
The vision for the future:
– Must include new funding sources and increased individual donations.
– Must include increase volunteers base for hours to work at pantry.
– Must include increase group organization involvement with more food/fund drives for the pantry.
– Must include continuing fund raising held by the board members.
In 2019, increased growth and productivity will be our goal. We must evaluate our parking situation. We must plan income increases to cover our aging donors looking at retirement and their possible decrease in donations. We must also be mindful of our aging volunteer base and begin to search and train for key leadership positions.
Our opportunities in 2019 are many. We will apply to United Way of Knox County funding to increase general revenue. We will continue to utilize local groups and organizations to increase local involvement and support. To update our packing of supplies given to weekly clients to keep food fresh and varied items given.
We are now preparing for our Spring break distribution on March 23rd. Families in need of food when school is closed for Spring break are asked to call the pantry at 740-625-5736 to sign up. Letters will be sent home with the children of all families that receive reduced or free meals on how to sign up for Spring break distribution. Clients must register by March 15th to receive the food for 10 days.
New and updated packing procedures have been implemented to assure freshness of food. Changes have been made in type of food given.
The following items can be dropped off at the pantry on Monday – 3:30 to 6:00 p.m.; Tuesday – 12:00 (noon) to 3:00 p.m. or Thursday – 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Needs at this time are beef stew, beef/chicken/tuna pasta dinners, chunky soup, cream soups, canned meats, canned fruits and canned vegetables.
With the improvement in the economy, we may one day face the situation that the pantry has a very limited number of clients. What a day that will be! Until then, this pantry will work to see every “tummy” is the Centerburg School District is well fed. This “little burg” shall always care for their hungry!