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October
14, 2010
Annual
food drive is now underway on Hatteras Island
The
17th annual island-wide Food Drive to benefit the Hatteras
Island
Food Pantry in Buxton is now in progress. The drive will
continue
through December.
Housed at the United Methodist Church in
Buxton, this
pantry serves the people of all seven villages and is the only food
pantry on the island that is recognized by Dare County Department of
Social Services.
The needs of the Hatteras Island community have increased significantly
in the last couple of years, mainly because of rising unemployment
caused by a steady decline in the construction trades and the tourism
industry. As a matter of fact, this past summer saw an
unprecedented demand on the Food Pantry, and the first-ever island-wide
Summer Food Drive was quickly organized to restock the pantry's shelves
that were almost bare.
Walton Fulcher, Food Pantry coordinator, thanks all of you who have
supported the food drive in the past and asks for continued help.
"Without it, the pantry would find it impossible to get through the
winter months, the period of greatest need when unemployment is the
highest," Fulcher says.
He emphasizes that 100 percent of all monetary donations goes to help
islanders. "None is used to pay administrative expenses or
executive salaries," says Fulcher.
An urgent appeal is being made to both visitors and residents to
contribute to this community outreach. For your convenience,
there are drop-off locations in every village on the island.
They
are:
- Hatteras
Realty in Hatteras Village, Avon, and Waves (Daily 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.)
- Our Lady of
the Seas Parish Hall in Buxton (24-hour drop-off box on porch)
- Frisco
Shopping Center in Frisco (Daily 6 a.m. - 9 p.m.)
- Outer
Beaches Realty in Hatteras Village, Avon, and Waves ( Daily 9 a.m. - 5
p.m.)
- Surf-or-Sound
Realty in Avon and Salvo (Daily 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 a.m.)
- The Blue
Whale in Salvo (7 a.m. - 8 p.m. through Nov. 30)
- Hatteras
Island Family Medicine - Frisco (Monday -Thursday, 8-12 noon and
1-4:30)
- Dancing
Turtle Coffee Shop - Hatteras (daily 7-5)
Food Drive organizer, Linda Browning, advises donors, who might drop
off food at collection points other than those listed above, to ask the
establishments whether or not the food is for the Hatteras Island Food
Pantry. Sometimes there are other drives in progress that may
be
for off-island food pantries.
When you're shopping for food to donate, keep in mind buying "complete
meals." Also consider donating personal care products and
cleaning supplies. These run out very quickly.
Remember pet
food, too!
Here's a shopping list that will help you select those items in highest
demand:
spaghetti, spaghetti sauce, grated cheese, peanut butter, jelly,
cereal, non-fat dry milk, sugar, cooking oil, pancake mix, pancake
syrup, flour, biscuit mix, shortening, salt and pepper, canned meats,
canned tuna fish, shampoo, shaving cream, bath soap, deodorant,
toothpaste, dish detergent, laundry supplies, dog food, cat food
Please donate only unopened foods and those that have not gone past
their expiration dates. Food that is no longer "in date" may not be
safe to eat.
If you don't have time to shop, consider making a
monetary donation. It's tax deductible.
Checks should
be written to United Methodist Men and mailed to Hatteras Island Food
Pantry, PO Box 1591, Buxton, NC 27920.
Please contact Linda Browning at (252) 995-3662 if you have questions
or would like more information about on-going needs of the Food Pantry.
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