We don't have a food bank, but we do give out vouchers for our local supermarket. This may change, however, as we are working with a few other churches and community groups to set up a community kitchen in our neighbourhood.

Would that be a place where everyone participates in making the meal and then sits down to eat or will volunteers prepare the meals?

I've always liked the idea of food vouchers, but they are sometimes a little impersonal.

In addition to cooking and eating together, they will purposely make extra so that they can bring home some food for the next day. 

Food vouchers may be impersonal, but they allow the person to pick out what they want to eat, instead of giving them what we think they should be eating.

We have food vouchers, and we also support the local food bank.  I would suggest neither of those support folks who are fully homeless as much as those who are housed but not fed as they both tend to pre-suppose that you have a place to store what you get.

We have been partners with a number of other churches in our area (including United) in a group that, among other things, has run a satellite for the London Food Bank. We do not, however, run one of our own. Given our size, it would be difficult so we can do more good as a partner in a larger organization.

Mendalla

Our church participates in an eccumenical community outreach centre nearby our location -  http://thecompass.ca/   We collect food at the church & deliver it to the foodbank at The Compass; a number of people from our church volunteer there; we have a church member who sits on its board of directors; we provide the location & help with hosting of several community meals each year. 

Up until this year we ran a food bank - I was chairperson.  We operated it for 7 years.

Why did you stop having one Jobam?

I don't have a church, but in some places I think it would be a waste.  Sometimes it would be better to just work with existing food banks.

Does anyone think that after everyone is well fed that the church should talk about God to anyone? Or is that completely uncalled for?

The Baptist Church in our community houses the local Food Bank.

Our United Church actively supports it with donations.  We will be collecting a variety of items each week from Thanksgiving on through to Christmas and after.

Sometimes local ministry personnel are present for coffee time Wednesday mornings offering comfort and counselling, but often more about life's challenges, I think, and how to deal with these than God-talk.

That seems to be the norm for most main stream churches. It would be just as foreign to walk into wall street and start evangelizing I suppose. I wonder, is it because we're uncomfortable with the whole concept and we think that sort of thing belongs only in a church? Should our help look any different than the secular worlds or does it matter as long as we're out there?

We contribute to the city wide foodbank  with monetary and food donations. We do have food vouchers for the local supermarket - gift cards.  It is not easy in this day to run a food bank or a meal place.  God bless those that can and do.

And, for those needing a meal, we provide Tim Horton's cards. For $10 a person can get a meal. 

I've never been comfortable with the idea of using a social service like a food bank or soup kitchen as an opportunity to preach. Leave information about the church out where people can find it and make sure the volunteers are prepared to answer questions if they come up. If the motivation for running the program is to win souls rather than to express love then I tend to see that as turning a "service" into something more self-serving. This should be a chance to let your example speak rather than your words.

Mendalla

PS. That applies as much as to us humanist UU types as to Christians. It's just that we would give love in response to living our principles in our actions rather than give love in response to God's love.

20,000 meals served last year at Central...kudos to the Board and volunteers of the Weston King Neighbourhood Centre.  This year we expand into Mount Dennis.

Wow the UCC in action! Let's hear more.

Well I'm not sure "preaching" is the right word. Many would agree with you, any that don't?

We support the local food bank

through donations of food and volunteers. We also support the community kitchen where people can sit down to a good hot meal each day. We also have a voucher program where people can come to our church on a Wednesday morning and enjoy a cup of coffee and a nutritious snack while waiting to be registered and interviewed and receive a voucher to buy food at a local cooperating store. We also provide clothing, bedding, kitchen supplies as needed. Today we were able to help a man who recently lost everything, giving him blankets, towels, dishes to start out again in his one-room apartment.
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Perhaps more importantly we have social workers visit our church to talk to these people about their needs and give them advice. We have a legal advice clinic and a parish nurse. The big brothers/big sisters program operates out of our building. As does AA and Narcotics Anon. And we have people in our congregation who are knowledgeable and who write letters or meet with government people to present the case against cuts to services.
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Ideally we wouldn't need food banks and community kitchens but would live in a country where wealth is shared and everybody had a right to food, clothing, shelter, and hope without having to line up for charity.

Our church does not have a foodbank.  We have a local foodbank.  Our church supports this foodbank throughout the year by having food drives and sometimes allocating monies.  We recently had the chairperson of the foodbank come and speak in our worship service regarding its formation and activities.  I'm glad we have this in our community and I continue to support it as I can.

We don't have a food bank.

We do put on free dinners on Wednesday nights to which our local community is invited.

We also, in cooperation with a local grocery store offer free bread and bakery products to one and all.

Without going into the history of our local food bank - I was chairperson for 7 years, I wanted to focus my energy on Rainbow Camp & Welcome Friend Association. 

Background:
Town 1,400 people
Congregation size: 60 - 20 active
Population covered by Food Bank - 2,000
Hours of operation:  1 day a week - 2 hours - gave out pre-bagged groceries and clients can pick three items from the optional items that are donated.  Bread and milk are given out as well.
Operating budget $22,000
Services 165 families
Received $6,000 from local DSAB per year, thus we could not turn any folks away that wanted to use the food bank (this is a good thing)
Older congregation - most didn't believe in the food bank
Local community judges who goes into the food bank - some members of the local town council actually watched as people went in.....(welcome to my world)
4 of us were directly responsible for fundraising, food purchasing, donations and finding volunteers to run food bank one day a week.

The food bank is having issues as to where it can be located - long story - food storage is the main problem. 

At our church council meeting on Monday night - one person pipes up and asks when the food bank food is being removed from the basement as they have a dinner to put on...really!!!!!  The food bank has found a home across the street at the Anglican church - they have food storage issues there as well but they want the food bank.....yes!!! 

I was so angry after our church council meeting that I told my partner that I was seriously considering pulling our PAR and just donating to our causes.  Remember folks, I am born and bred in my local church.  I told them they have no local ministry and church is supposed to be more than a social club....they are more concerned with the local church survival rather than doing ministry......whatever.

Thank you for sticking up for your food bank Jobam! I have one (small) question - what does DSAB stand for?

Sorry somegalfromcan - DSAB - in Ontario different agenices give out homeless funding - the city of Toronto would do it themselves, smaller cities etc most likely do it as well - in Northern Ontario - where things are so spread out - DSAB's (District Services Administration Boards) were created to deliver Ontario Works (Social Assistance/Welfare), Social Housing, Child Care and Emergency Medical Services (EMS).  The food bank applies for funding along with other like agencies and hopes there is enough funding to go around.  The Federal government gives money to the provicne, the province distrubites it in this way.  Hope this makes sense.

Thanks Jobam - that makes sense.

somegalfromcan - your comment about giving people vouchers.  We did the pre-packaged as some clients have no idea what healthy food is - and/or good food choices.  Depending on the vouchers - if they are the gift card type ok, but if it is some sort of one that stands out - we would not use it as the client loses their anonymity at the store.

Could you describe what types of things go in your healthy food packages please.  I know our local Food Bank struggle a lot with the nutritional quality of the items they receive for redistribution. 

When a church I was attending gathered donations for the Food Bank I was astounded to se sugar coated cereals, candy type lunch bars, white crackers, manufactured cheese products )think strings) and many other things I have never bought to feed my family.

They are gift certificates purchased from our local supermarket - and look the same as any other gift certificate that they sell (this store is one of the few that hasn't made the switch to gift cards yet). 

I should state that there is also a food bank in town that we support. In addition, there is a United Church ministry known as Our Place, which accepts donations of produce - which they use to create delicious meals for those who need them. I know they are delicious because I have tasted the leftovers a couple of times when I volunteered there.

I wouldn't suggest anyone trying to live on this for a week - this was just to help them get through one week.  Make sense?

Single Order (1-2 Adults) Family is doubled

1 pkg of Pasta

1 box of Rice

1 Box Cold Cereal (large/family size)

1 Macaroni & Cheese

1 Sleeve of Crackers

2 Dried Soups

1 canned veggie (corn etc)

1 can of Pork & Beans

1 large can of stew

2 cans of soup

1 Can of Meat (ie Tuna/Salmon/Ham)

1 Pasta Sauce

1  Can of Tomato's

1 Fruit (ie pkg of fruit cups etc)

Optional Items (offer 1 each) –

Coffee

Tea

Sugar

Peanut Butter

Instant Oatmeal

Milk

Bread

Frozen Hamburger (when available)

These are the same types of things our local Food Bank is able to offer.  The foods you list may help prevent hunger, which is a helpful goal, but they aren't particularly healthy according to our local dietician.  She claims the items contain too much white flour and added sugar and salt,   What is needed is difficult to supply - fresh fruits and vegetables, low fat meat, oily fish, dried legumes.  She also pointed out that many of the recipients lack cooking skills, or an equipped kitchen, which complicates things even more. Another complication arises if the food offered isn't familiar to the recipients.  This whole thing is HARD to get right and maybe it has never been done by providing the basic ingredients!

So true kay - it IS hard to get right for sure.  I wonder if recipes or cooking instructions are ever included.  

And as I read jobam's list - I wondered if food banks also distribute good quality can openers - seems one is a necessity.  Which is interesting, considering in my own family kitchen, we rarely used canned goods.  What a different diet it would be for us, in so very many ways. 

Actually, I think I could easily last a week on what you have listed here. I certainly wouldn't want to do it week after week though.

There are a lot of pros and cons with food banks and the food they carry.  Mostly is storage issues - fresh veggies etc is really not an option for us.....

Question for you - why is it that churches would'nt just automatcily do this out of thier own buildings?  What is stopping folks from running food banks out of thier local churches?  What owuld be stopping you at your church?

Our food bank has large blue drop-off boxes placed in churches, supermarkets, and other public places.  It requests canned goods and non-perishabile items.  I try to think nourishment when I donate:  a large can of tomatoes, whole wheat macaroni, a bag of onions, cans of fish or meat, oatmeal, large can of baked beans. canned milk.  Sometimes I donate dried beans, or dried peas - but I know that these items would have to go to someone who had cooking facilities and knew how to cook.   Perishable items - fruit, vegetables, cheese or meat can be taken directly to the food bank. 
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Donating food items is good - but to get the most for your money, donate the money.  The people working at the food bank know what items are most needed at any given time, and they can often buy in bulk and get more bang for the buck. 

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Our church gives out food vouchers which can be redeemed at the local independently owned grocery store. We encourage people to use this to supplement their food bank supplies with fresh meat, fruit and vegetables. I don't think the food bank, the community kitchen, or the voucher program alone will provide a healthy diet, but together they can be a big help for a person on limited income.

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