Local food pantries in need of donations
Holidays approaching quickly
BY TYSON SMEDSTAD
The two local food pantries are in different situations right now.
While Max Food Pantry is overloaded and looking for household items, Garrison is hoping for food donations.
Garrison Food Pantry
“One of our biggest things that are hard to get and hardly ever come out from Great Plains Food Bank is peanut butter and jelly, and we don’t get a variety of dry cereal and hygiene items,” Garrison Food Pantry Coordinator Dawn Kolden said. “That’s a big one.”
For those wishing to donate, food pantry items can be dropped off at Krause’s or the Camp of the Cross office.
For the November distribution, 95 families were served.
“I’m not sure what to think (for December distribution),” Kolden said. “We are going to prepare accordingly with that number in mind.”
Garrison is still offering the drive-up distribution in the alley behind the location.
The box for December will have soups and stews, juice, and pasta, as well as other items.
“We are going to do the best we can with frozen,” Kolden said. “The truck won’t be here until after distribution … with November being bigger than we thought we won’t have as much frozen as we thought. But we will do the best we can.”
There will not be turkeys or hams available for December distribution. The Garrison Area Resource Center is hoping that most of the requests for those items will be filled through the Gifts From the Heart Program.
“But if cattle ranchers would have ground beef to donate, that would be amazing. It just has to be processed at a USDA meat shop. We can accept game meat processed there as well,” Kolden added.
One thing Kolden would like the community to remember is that “If there is an emergency, and I don’t mean being down to your last bit of food, don’t wait that long,” Kolden said, “If you are in need, just let us know and we will get down there are try to help you.”
