August 24, 2023 St. Joseph Food Pantry Report

August 24, 2023: Households Served – 149; Total People Served – 566

• 131 households participated in the Healthy Pantry Initiative at St. Joseph’s by selecting items from a range of fresh produce including potatoes, kale, squash, sweet potatoes, red beets, and peppers. Marianne and Justin assisted guests filling and carrying bags to cars for incapacitated family members & neighbors without transportation. 

• Food carried to qualifying households by friends or family members is not included in the Healthy Pantry Totals because these households are not on site to personally participate in the selection of healthy foods for their boxes, nor do they have access to tasting samples.

• Joanna prepared tasting samples of Three Color Salad – a healthy salad including black beans, white beans, corn, celery, onion, and bell pepper. Thursdays’ guests could take home a printed copy of the recipe in both English & Spanish with a selection of ingredients to prepare the salad at home. 

• Patricia and Pete invited guests to choose a dessert from the table of pastries donated by local bakeries.

• Barbara and Kathy welcomed guests to the sharing table where donated clothes and shoes for men, women, and children as well as household items were displayed.

Justin, a volunteer who helps guest select fresh produce, offered to share this story from August 10:

Miss S. arrived with her usual flair at St. Joseph’s Food Pantry late in the afternoon on Thursday. She is a senior citizen in her 70’s who depends on St. Joseph’s to supplement her very small monthly income. Volunteers look forward each week to Miss S.’s arrival. In previous visits she told stories of her career traveling to venues all over the U.S. entertaining audiences with songs interspersed with instrumental performances on the piano and other string instruments. I can believe that because she always enters our pantry in a very dramatic fashion, smiling and waving to all. On August 10, Miss S paused by the pastry table and burst into song. I wasn’t familiar with the tune, but she sounded very good. Then, Pete Baxley, a volunteer assisting guests with pastry selections, started singing with her. He knew all the words! This surprised Miss S. at first, but it was evident that she enjoyed the accompaniment. She then started a second song which Pete joined in also. When they finished, the hall erupted in applause. They were pretty good. Afterwards Pete told Marianne, my wife, that he too used to be a singer in his younger days. Miss S. and Pete are full of surprises. Maybe we can get them to do a repeat performance! 

St. Joseph’s Food Pantry is a place full of joy!