Morrison Friends Food Pantry Director Kaywyn Beswick submitted this report.
Several wonderful people have reached out to me in the past few weeks, asking how the pantry is doing, what are the needs, and what can Joe Q. Public do for the pantry at this unprecedented time of uncertainty. I am overwhelmed by all the phone calls, text messages, emails, and private Messenger communications showing concern for Morrison Friends Food Pantry. I am equally blessed to be a small part of this great community of caring, generous people. Even families who do not live in Morrison anymore have contacted me.
The food pantry has a contract with River Bend Food Bank (RBFB) in Davenport, IA. We receive free “commodities” on a delivery truck once a month. Included is anything that we purchase on-line at the River Bend Food Bank’s website. What amount of commodities we are given depends on how many people we served the previous month.
Generally, MFFP assists anywhere from 48 to 60 families per month, averaging 130 to 160 people per month. March had an unusually low number of clients, probably due to apprehension from the pandemic and the “stay-home” order from Illinois Governor Pritzger.
We will not allow volunteers over 70 with health issues (such as cardiac, lung, and cancer issues) to assist at the pantry at this time. Even the Church-of-the-Month volunteers are being deferred until further notice. We have about half a dozen people assisting inside the pantry, bagging and boxing up food and non-food items, because clients cannot come into the building. They remain in their vehicles. Volunteers carry each client’s goods to their vehicles. This helps prevent clients and volunteers having too close contact and potential cross-contamination. All volunteers wash their hands before we begin packing. Packers and carriers use hand sanitizer in between each family.
With RBFB on-line ordering, we can purchase name-brand items at a minimal price, and it is delivered to us. For example, Cheerios cereal can be bought for 18 cents per pound, or just about 29 cents per box. This is why we tell donors that we always accept monetary donations.
- We have a drop-off account at City Hall; Phil Renkes, our Accountant/Treasurer, picks it up weekly and takes it to the bank. This is how several anonymous donors choose to donate.
- We have a mailbox in Morrison United Methodist Church. Checks payable to Morrison Friends Food Pantry can be mailed, in care of the church at 200 W. Lincolnway, Morrison, IL 61270.
Although we cannot accept physical support at the pantry right now, we will always appreciate spiritual support of our pantry with prayers for us and our clients. Fourteen churches support us.
Present needs are non-food items, such as paper products(toilet paper, paper towels, Kleenex), personal hygiene items( shampoo, conditioner, bar soap, body wash, deodorant, shaving products, toothbrushes, toothpaste), laundry/cleaning supplies (detergent, dish soap), baby items (diapers, wipes, formula) and feminine products. Clients cannot purchase these items with their LINK/SNAP cards (former “food stamps.”) These are the items that we most frequently need to purchase. But we also take non-perishable canned or boxed/bagged items.
Generally our shelves are pretty well supplied by mid-May. Now that USPS has postponed the “Stamp Out Hunger” National Postal Food Drive on Mother’s Day weekend, we are uncertain as to how things will look by the beginning of summer. Also, past years have shown that fewer donations happen during summertime, when people are gone on vacations and off their regular routine schedules.
We have a wonderfully compassionate town when it comes to helping out the less fortunate. I have no doubt that Morrison Friends Food Pantry will continue operating like the well-oiled machine that it is. Much appreciation goes to all the businesses, organizations, service clubs, and churches for financially, emotionally, physically, and spiritually supporting and encouraging us. Thank you, Morrison!