(Posted Nov. 7, 2017)
By Christine Bryant, Staff Writer
As Madison County residents prepare for the holidays, a local food pantry is working to ensure no family goes hungry this winter season.
To do so, however, the Good Samaritan Food Pantry needs help.
The pantry relies on donations and is in need of several items. The best way to help, says director Susan Maggard, is through monetary giving.
“As with all the food pantries, we are in dire need of funds,” Maggard said. “We can buy more food with money than the normal individual.”
Since the beginning of the year, the pantry, housed at West Jefferson United Methodist Church, has fed more than 5,300 people.
The pantry serves residents in the 43162 and 43119 zip codes, as well as residents at Green Meadows on Route 29 and Canaan Community on Plain City-Georgesville Road. Each client can visit the pantry twice a month and pick up food for three meals a day for three days.
Clients typically receive meat, vegetables, fruit, pasta, soup, cereal, bread and other items, with much of the food supplied by Mid-Ohio Foodbank and donated by Fresh Eats and Aldi.
“We also had groups do canned drives for us like the Scouts, area churches, the schools and other organizations,” Maggard said.
Current donation needs include cereal, soups kids will eat, macaroni and cheese, canned fruit, jelly, toilet paper and toiletries.
Though the number of clients has remained consistent throughout the year, Maggard said the number of children the pantry serves has increased.
“Our clients are varied, but are mostly middle-aged, disabled and seniors,” she said.
Looking ahead to the holiday season, the pantry is preparing special packages that create an entire Thanksgiving meal. Interested clients must sign up prior to Nov. 9. Donations for the meal packages are needed as soon as possible.
“For Christmas, we accept lightly used toys and children’s coats to give out, and we try to buy a special meat to put in the boxes,” Maggard said. “We do not do a Christmas box, but we try to pack the boxes a little more heavy if we can.”
To donate monetarily, checks may be mailed to the Good Samaritan Food Pantry Inc., 36 S. Center St., West Jefferson, OH 43162. Donations can be made online, as well, at GoodSamFP.com and through the organization’s Facebook page.
The pantry is open 2-4 p.m. Wednesdays and 10-11 a.m. Saturdays.
