What's new at the Food Bank

This article was recently published, with photos (not included) in the Polk County News.

Many Polk County residents are not aware of its existence, but the Polk County Baptist Association’s Food Bank has been feeding people in Polk County for over 20 years! This local ministry provides a generous bag of food each month for those in need. All at no cost to the Food Bank clients.

A ministry of the churches of the Polk County Baptist Association, the Food Bank is staffed by volunteers who receive no pay for their service. Co-directors Karen & Steve Newman and James & Geneva Brown oversee all of the operation. Volunteers from local churches pitch in to stock shelves, fill bags, and help give out bags on distribution day. The Thanksgiving distribution is usually the largest of the year. In November 2007, our Food Bank distributed over 300 bags of food to Polk County families (450 adults and 210 children). The staff worked a total of 147 ˝ volunteer hours in November 2007  and 159 ˝ hours in December 2007!

The process begins with a trip to the Chattanooga Area Food Bank (CAFB) to restock our shelves. This huge warehouse distributes food to food pantries in several SE TN counties. Our Food Bank staff purchases items at a discount through the CAFB. We can buy a whole case of cereal for about the same price that the regular consumer would pay for one box at the grocery store! After making their selections, CAFB staffers use fork trucks to load it on our trucks or trailers. For the past few months a local tire distributor has allowed us to use their large enclosed truck (filled with gas) when we go to the CAFB to pick up large loads of food. This makes it very easy to load a lot of food, and to keep the boxes dry when the weather is bad.

Individuals, local churches, school groups, and others provide canned goods and money to fund this ministry. Several school organizations and classes organize food drives each year. The Benton and Delano Post Offices hold collection drives to help fill our shelves. We receive bread and pastries through the Foothills Worship Ministry  Center in Maryville. A bakery in a neighboring community also donates left-over items to the Food Bank.

Some churches participate in our ‘Canned Food of the Month’ program, concentrating on collecting one food each month. This builds up our inventory and allows the staff to make the bags as alike as possible. Our 2008 ‘Canned Food of the Month’ list:

Jan. - canned soup
Feb. - green peas / green beans
Mar. - ravioli / spaghetti with meat
Apr. - peanut butter (plastic jars             only)
May – fruit
June – corn
July  - tuna fish
Aug. - pinto beans
Sept. - pumpkin (in 15 oz. cans)
Oct.  – potatoes
Nov. - mixed vegetables
Dec.  - beef stew

 

The Food Bank can always use donations of any canned goods. One important thing to keep in mind is that we cannot use food in badly dented or rusted cans or food which has gone ‘out-of-date’. Canned goods that are rusty or outdated must go in the trash. We cannot endanger our clients’ health with questionable food. Our Food Bank is inspected regularly by USDA through the Chattanooga Area Food Bank.

Applications for the Polk County Baptist Association Food Bank can be obtained  at the Baptist Center (located across the street from the Polk Co. courthouse) or by calling 338-2749. The Food Bank is located in the basement of the Farm Bureau insurance building. There is no access through the Farm Bureau office, only from the back of the building. Operating hours are from 8 to 11 AM on the 3^rd Tuesday of each month. This is the ONLY day that the Food Bank is open to distribute food. Due to the large number of clients, we do not deliver food.

“Inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me.” This quote from Jesus in Matthew 25:40 provides the guiding principle behind the Polk County Food Bank. Help others throughout 2008 by supporting the Polk County Food Bank with donations of canned goods or money. You can give a little each month throughout the year. Monetary donations are tax-deductible. For more information about the Food Bank, for an application, or to make a donation call the Baptist Center 338-2749.