Mountrail Community Food Pantry June News
The Mountrail Community Food Pantry provided 12,029 pounds of food to 95 Mountrail County families in June for a total of 322 people, of which 130 were children and 46 were seniors! Cashwise donated 4,378 pounds of food that Greg and Bill loaded up, hauled, unloaded and weighed, which was then stocked in our pantry to head right back out the door with our clients. Thank you, Cashwise! And thank you gentlemen!
It was a great month. We had dozens of homegrown, farm fresh eggs donated, which our clients are just thrilled to receive. Thank you to the ladies that did all of that work and then gave them to us! We have had random food/household products brought in, or left at our door, which are certainly appreciated. We received donations from area folks in memory of friends and family, designating our pantry as a way to honor that memory. The significance of these gifts is not lost on us, and a prayer for each family is said when the thank you note is being written.
We have a giant thank you to the Five Spot Bar for choosing our pantry for some of their Veterans Gaming Funds. These funds help tremendously, as so many already know. Many community organizations are blessed because of the work that goes into making these funds available. We are grateful to the local bars that participate in the local Veterans Gaming Funds, as well as to the Veterans Club that manages these funds. Thank you to the patrons that support these games and support these establishments, as well.
We also received a donation from an area church, and we are very thankful for their partnership in our mission to provide food to those that need a little help feeding their families.
One of the last Mondays we were open, I was just sitting quietly, listening to the banter floating around our pantry… good natured ribbing, laughter… it’s such a fantastic team of volunteers that give their Monday’s to serving. I marvel at what a blessing each one of those dedicated humans is to our pantry, and to the community. Our pantry runs like a well-oiled machine, because of those folks. It doesn’t seem like “thank you” is enough to cover the many ways they show up for our clients, and I don’t mean just physically. If someone has been ill/had surgery/had a child or a grandchild/ (you get the drift here…) you can bet that they will be asked about it, with the sincere interest of a good friend.
There is more than a service being provided by these volunteers… there is a ministry. Caring, compassion, understanding, humor, all of it… people leave our pantry not only with a wagonful of food, but with a much lighter heart, knowing that someone truly cares about them.
I usually mention something about this friendliness in each newsletter in the operational info section, but as I write this, it seems like a really fine message to expand upon just a little.
Plus, it gets me in a little hot water with these volunteers, because they prefer absolutely ZERO fuss about what they do. So, it’s a win win. I love, and get, to talk about the work they do, the incredible way they treat everyone that walks through our door… and I also enjoy being in a bit of hot water now and then with the people I care about… thus, the win win (insert giant smiley face here)!
And now, a few pieces of information to share…. Our pantry hours of operation are 12:30 to 3:00 p.m. on Mondays (except legal holidays). If you need help, or someone you know needs a little help in providing food for their family, please share our information with them and please feel welcome to visit our pantry.
Speaking of our day’s work, we would very much appreciate it if folks would be here no later than 2:30 p.m. so we can go home by 3:00. (We have been hustling to prepare for our clients since 9:30 or so that morning, so we are plenty tired by 3:00.) We will be open all of the Mondays in July and August.
If you’d like to follow us, we are on Facebook at Mountrail Community Food Pantry. You will see any announcements we may have, as well as fun photos of our food pantry donors/unloaders/occasional antics.
As promised, I will provide our address for people that would like to donate in some way. Our physical address is the Memorial Building, 18 2nd Ave SE, Stanley. The door in the southeast corner of the building is ours, if a person would like to drop off food donations, and our mailing address remains the same; 6989 84th Ave NW, Stanley 58784. If you’d like to save postage, you can slide an envelope right under our door at the pantry, and we will find it when we arrive!
As I write this, we have just finished celebrating the 250th birthday of our beautiful country. I saw the fireworks, the flags flying everywhere, the patriotic banners and outfits. I listened to the songs about America, and I thought about the many people that worked to get us to this great day… the many that sacrificed so much for us to joyously celebrate our freedom and our independence. There is an incredible depth, strength, determination, and honor in the American people. We have much to be proud of… and so very much to look forward to.
God bless America… and God bless you and your family…
Mary