The pantry can be, in simple ways, a slayer of nightmares. Do you know how wonderful that makes me feel? I feed up to 200 families a month when SNAP (food stamps) runs out after (and about) two and a half weeks. My pantry can fulfill an immediate need and a family’s life continues on, without the ramifications of going hungry, even for a day. But as I have told you, I don’t do this alone. I have a supportive board, an enthusiastic volunteer base of 38 individuals, mostly from the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, 300 caring people and about 68 businesses that support my mission each year.
I would get by. But the Auburn community would not allow me to rest on my laurels. So every month, when I must fundraise (for my bottom line and pantry goods,) someone usually comes up with a creative idea. I am overwhelmed with the communal response this month, as it was with the annual pierogi eating contest (a thick pastry with potatoes in it.) Held Feb. 3 at the Ukrainian National Club here in Auburn, the dinner and contest were run by Debra Bryant and Scott Dairymple this year. The 150 dinners were sold old by the late morning. We were the happy recipients of $6,713, a surprise amount. It was the largest amount collected for an organization in the eight years of the contest. Thank you Debbie, Scott and the UNC, in the name of my families and the people I serve. You have made me so proud to be part of this caring community.
Then there is that ”Why didn’t I think of that?” moment, when the associates at the Lowe's on Grant Avenue created a "Souper Bowl" can drive this past month, spearheaded by Andrea Birbilis.
During the weeks coming up to the Super Bowl, with the blessing of manager Shawn Hubbard, the Lowe's associates had a can drive and divided themselves into the AFC or the NFC. The race was a contest to see which team could bring in the most cans until the Saturday of the Super Bowl. A total of 1,158 cans were collected. ”Within the spirit of great competition, the AFC beat the NFC this year, handily, with 615 cans to 543 collected,” Andrea remarked as associates delivered the huge 35 boxes to the pantry.
For this pantry it means, simply, that I can put on my shelves these cans ready to feed families, and therefore I can spend more money on fresh food in the coming months through the CNY Food Bank’s partnership. Thank you, Andrea, for conceiving this brilliant idea, and Shawn's Lowe's associates for seeing that the goods showed up on my doorstep.
(Lowe's on Grant Avenue, for the last five years, has given me a large amount of cans at Thanksgiving, 800 toys during a Christmas drive, the manager’s winter coat efforts for children and adults and the yearlong clothing drives.)
Thank you, everyone.
Debra, Scott and Andrea are my Heroes for Hunger this month. They had ideas, executed them flawlessly and asked people to participate, set goals and achieve them. All for Calvary Food Pantry! They are a fundraiser’s dream come true.
Please remember to volunteer, donate or reciprocate in kind.
