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 18th
annual island-wide Food Drive has begun
The
18th annual island-wide Food Drive to stock the shelves of the
Hatteras
Island Food Pantry is now in progress. The drive will
continue through
Dec. 31. 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.
This year, the needs of the Hatteras Island community are
great.
Hurricane Irene heaped a tremendous amount of pain on the island
residents, and the local economy that was already hurting is now in
shambles.
During this past fiscal year that ended June 30, the Hatteras Island
Food Pantry had helped 3,832 people with over 81,000 meals.
The
organization's emergency assistance fund had paid out over
$81,898.
Walton Fulcher, Food Pantry Coordinator, says, "If we had not had the
support, we could not have met these emergency needs."
Fulcher thanks all those who've contributed to the food pantry in the
past and asks for continued help:
"Without it, the pantry will find it impossible to get through the
winter months, the period of greatest need when unemployment will be
even higher than it is now."
He emphasizes that 100 percent of all donations, whether food or money,
goes to help Hatteras residents. "None is used to pay
administrative
expenses or executive salaries", he says.
Here are this year's collection points where food for the pantry can be
dropped off:
- Hatteras
Realty in Hatteras village and Avon (Daily 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.)
- Our
Lady of the Seas Catholic Parish Hall in Buxton (24-hr. drop-off box on
porch)
- Frisco
Shopping Center in Frisco (Daily 6 a.m. - 9 p.m.)
- Outer
Beaches Realty in Hatteras Village and in Avon ( Daily 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.)
- Surf-or-Sound
Realty in Avon (Daily 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 a.m.)
- Dancing
Turtle Coffee Shop - Hatteras (Mon. thru Sat. - 7 a.m. - 12 noon)
- Burrus
Red & White in Hatteras (Daily 7 a.m. - 8 p.m.)
Food-drive organizer, Linda Browning, advises contributors 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, try to buy "complete
meals".
For example, if you buy spaghetti, pick up some spaghetti sauce and
some grated cheese, too. If you buy cereal, grab a box of
non-fat dry
milk and a bag of sugar. Also, consider donating personal
care
products and cleaning supplies. These run out very
quickly. Don't
forget dog food, cat food, and kitty litter, too!
Here's a shopping list that will assist you in selecting the items that
usually are 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, shampoo, shaving cream, bath
soap, deodorant, toothpaste, dish detergent (for hand washing), laundry
supplies, dog food, cat food, kitty litter.
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.
Many of you may not have time to shop. In that case, please
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.
If you have questions or would like more information about on-going
needs of the Hatteras Island Food Pantry, you can contact Linda
Browning at (252) 995-3662.
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