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 Food |
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Throughout
the year we have a variety of ways to gather food.
o Churches and individuals in town contribute
money for shopping as well as food. Most churches have a Food Shelf Sunday
each month.
o Members of the Youth Group of Our Lady of
Seven Dolors have gone door to door collecting food in the fall.
o Dan Ransom and many others obtained a truckload
of food through the penny drive and Feed the Children.
o Fred and Charlotte Capron of American Fund
Raising obtained 4,000 units of discontinued foods from an area manufacturer.
o The Price Chopper Supermarket in Rutland, VT contributes baked goods each week.
o During the summer, people bring in garden
vegetables they have grown to share with others. One year we also coordinated
a community garden providing space for people from all around to grow fresh
food for themselves and for others.
o An area berry farm donated a large amount
of blueberries - so many we could not find homes for them fresh. So, a team
of friends of Fair Haven Concerned and clients worked together to make blueberry
jam for later in the year as a special treat!
Wed.
Free Baked Goods:
Wednesday from 9-11 is a busy time at
St. Mary's School, the home of Fair Haven Concerned, provided for our use
by the parish of Our Lady of Seven Dolors. Dave Mallory has gotten up before
the birds to drive to Price Chopper and gather a truckload of baked goods
that are just past their pull date. These goodies are distributed for free,
like all of the services of Fair Haven Concerned.
Surplus Foods:
We also distribute U.S. Government surplus commodities once a month during our Wednesday Morning food distributions and other surplus food products. The Cabot Coop donates surplus cheese products. We are the drop-off site for State commodities as well.
Food Distribution:
Twice in 2004 we will distribute TWO tractor-trailers FULL of food
to people in our area - in May and in the fall - at the Eagles' Club in Fair Haven.
Surplus Donations:
The Vermont Soap Works has contributed surplus bars of Vermont soaps, a practical help and real joy to folks.
Christmas Food Baskets:
Every holiday families worry. How will we heat our house, clothe our children and eat? Knowing that they will have a bountiful Christmas dinner with food leftover, gives hope and joy and peace to more than 400 people in about 150 families in Fair Haven, West Haven, and Benson. To provide the baskets we solicit several thousand dollars of support from individual and business contributions, the Community Thanksgiving Service, and matching gifts from community members and Stewart's Shops in Fair Haven. Stewart's matches dollar for dollar the gifts brought to their store each year! then a team of people shop for the best buys, assemble boxes, send out notices, and for shut in neighbors delivers the packages of nutritious joy!
Food:
Food Shelf: Every weekday morning from 9:30 to 10:30 the Fair Haven Food Shelf at St. Mary's School opens its doors to help our hungry neighbors. Maybe it's the loss of a job , a sudden illness, or just not enough income to make ends meet, but when there is no food and no money, we reach out a helping hand. For many years Camilla Partch headed our food shelf and now Amy Pregger our leader. A different person operates the shelf one morning a week.
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