Local Food Pantry

Dear Friends,


Warm greeting this cold December day. Earlier today I was at the Southern Pines United Methodist Church where there is a Food Pantry location that serves the poor every Monday. The main coordinator is a wonderful man named Chuck Yolman who with about five other main volunteers and a few part-time helpers, passes out food to those who come by.

The way the Food Pantry works is anyone can come by once a month and receive a cardboard box of food. What's in that box varies depending on what the Food Bank can sell them, (they charge .18 a pound), and what day-old breads and produce they can gather from a couple of Food Lions on the weekends. Other essentials they can't get that week, like rice or cereal, (whatever the Food Pantry doesn't have), are bought at different stores that give discounts. (Meat comes largely from the Food Pantry at .18/#)

To receive food, people must give their name and address, this to insure that people are coming only once a month. Many of these people are elderly with health problems, or young families on low income jobs. The majority have been given the information about the pantry from the Coalition or from Social Services. Some folks come in wheelchairs, some on foot. For some it is a choice between medicine or food, for others it helps save a little more for gas money to get to work. About half of the people come only once or twice.

I asked Chuck if he felt that there were people taking advantage of the Food Pantry; he said that most of the people he has seen over the years are living pretty marginally and are very grateful for the help.

I imagine it is humbling to stand in a line for food. Chuck has been doing the pantry for about 8 years now and seems to me as committed as ever to help those less fortunate than are most of us.

I am writing this in case there are any friends out there who would like to help the SPUM Food Pantry, (Southern Pines main Food Bank distribution center). There has been a steady increase in demand such that SPUM no longer felt it could meet the demand and is considering not excepting new clients. Chuck said he didn't feel right about turning people away and that and he was hoping that funds could be raised to insure that would not happen.

If you would like to help with a donation, you can make that to SPUM-Food Pantry and mail it to the church at
175 Midland Rd.
Southern Pines, NC 28387

IF you go to the Awakened Heart Center, Tom and Bonnie Thompson are graciously accepting checks now for the Food Pantry.

ALL CONTRIBUTIONS ARE COMPLETELY TAX DEDUCTIBLE.

Just think,
At .18 a pound, a small contribution can feed a lot of people and help Chuck make sure no one is turned away.


Thank you and Merry Christmas.
Gail Scott


PS- IF you would like to see the SPUM Food Pantry in action, you can come by any Monday (morning is when most people come). Or if you know of someone who could benefit from help from the Food Pantry, the Pantry is located off the lower parking lot of Midland Rd. heading away from town.