On December 16, Frank French, who works at our Food House, visited the Inter-Faith Council (IFC). The IFC is one of the food pantry recipients of our ongoing Round Up! campaign. Frank shares about his visit below.
I was met by the IFC co-director Kristin Lavergne, who answered questions and gave me a tour of their facility. The main office and food pantry are in Carrboro about two blocks from our Weaver Street store. She and I discussed funding and how it is fairly steady due to the contributions of local churches, individuals, and businesses. My first impression of the location was that they have little room for food storage. Downstairs, next to where the food is processed, are interview rooms where volunteers meet with client families. The IFC volunteer gathers information about the number of family members, any allergies, and food preferences. Then the volunteer puts together the family’s groceries for the month. The IFC gets between 80 and 100 client families per month that have been directed to them for assistance.
In the area where the food is kept, there were no fresh vegetables. The foodstuffs consisted of dry goods, ramen noodles, peanut butter, and canned goods… As we walked around I noticed canned goods stacked against the walls in the hallway and offices. I remarked about the amount they had and was told that by the middle of February, most of it would be gone. During the holidays people are very generous and then things dry up.
This visit demonstrated for me the importance of our Round Up! campaign and how vital the contributions are toward providing families with much needed produce during the winter months. The need is great and Round Up! is a painless way for everyone to help our neighbors in need.