Nelson Twp. – Nine Tiger Cub Scouts and their leader Jason Bates visited the Nelson Garrettsville Community Cupboard (NGCC) to lend a helping hand and to learn how NGCC helps those in need in our community. Each Tiger Cub brought a bag of groceries with them to donate to the pantry. Pantry Volunteer Dan Dolan showed the boys how to stock the shelves using the items they brought and how to fill a client’s grocery list. The six and seven-year old boys even helped carry groceries to the car for area families.
Founder Mike Elias thanked the boys for their help and told them how the food pantry operates and why the community needs them. Mike explained that there are many in the area in great need and how the pantry fills the need in their lives. The food pantry averages about 120 families served each month with 180 families registered, he also stated that although they had been in operation only a little over a year they are filling a void in many folk’s lives.
In 2012, the NGCC gave away over 34,000 items and is well on the way to exceeding that this year. The food pantry is open Mondays 4pm until 7 pm and Wednesday 9am until noon. Each client may visit the pantry once a month.
The Tiger Cubs enjoyed their visit and one might see them helping out at the Fill the Fire Truck on the April 27, 2013 at Sky Plaza IGA on Saturday from 9am until 3pm. They hope to fill Joe Leonard’s vintage 1935 Hercules Fire Truck with food.
The food pantry has accepted the Feinstein Foundation $1 Million Challenge, which offers a unique opportunity to double its impact in the fight against hunger. The challenge is simple; for every dollar donated to NGCC in March & April, the Feinstein Foundation will match it dollar for dollar. For every food item donated to NGCC in March & April, the Feinstein Foundation will give the NGCC $1.00. This is a very easy way to double the impact of your donation. Let’s have everyone do their part by supporting the Fill the Fire Truck this Saturday and so we can “Shut the Door on Hunger” in our community.
