Hi Team – This weekend your Stroudwater Food Pantry served 39 families, providing groceries to a total of 129 people.  8 new families joined the pantry this week.

Volunteers processed a huge amount of food this weekend; on Sunday we distributed our largest supply of produce this year, for a total of 2,987lbs. of food over all.   It left our refrigerators bulging, particularly with produce and dairy products.  Volunteers this week included Anna, Debbie S, Jean, Karlene, Lita, Michael C, Nicki & Dan B., Rena, Ron, Steve and myself.  Mike Halkiu supported the prayer ministry on Sunday.

We processed nearly a ton and a half of food from our supermarkets and other suppliers this weekend.  It clearly made for a busy Friday and Sunday for everyone who volunteered this week.  Thank you all!  —  Doug

To learn more about your Stroudwater Food Pantry, follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stroudwaterfoodpantry/

Hi Team – This weekend your Stroudwater Food Pantry had its busiest Pantry Day since opening its doors on August 12, 2015!  Our Sunday volunteers served 67 families, providing groceries to a total of 229 people, serving more people and distributing more groceries than on any other day in our history.  9 new families joined the pantry this week.

Fortunately, we were yet again blessed with a large intake of food this weekend.  Our Friday team processed 1½ tons of food; in part due to a large fresh food rescue of meat, produce, milk and dairy products, and in part due to a very timely and generous donation of pasta and spaghetti sauce by our long time pantry friend Mike Curran.  Volunteers this week included Angie, Anna, Cat, Debbie S, Jean, Karlene, Laura, Michael C, Nicki & Dan B, Phil, Rena, Steve and myself.  Ellen supported the prayer ministry on Sunday.

This weekend was a stark reminder of the enormity of impact your Stroudwater Food Pantry has on the greater Portland Community.  It was also a reminder of the incredible service of the pantry volunteers, and supporters, whose heartfelt commitment make all of this happen.  Thank you all, and may God Bless you in all that you do!  —  Doug

To learn more about your Stroudwater Food Pantry, follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stroudwaterfoodpantry/

Hi Team – Your Stroudwater Food Pantry stated off July with its own set of fireworks!  We had a busy Sunday serving 42 families, providing groceries to a total of 117 people.  5 new families joined the pantry.

 What made our food distribution so busy over the weekend was the volume of Fresh Food Rescue we picked up on Friday.  We transported and processed a huge volume of meats and fresh produce, with everything totaling 2,107 lbs.  Clients left on Sunday with boxes heaped with meats, fruits and vegetables.  Volunteers this week included Angie, Anna, Cat, Debbie S, Dee, Jean, Karlene, Michael C, Nicki B, Phil, Rena, Steve and myself.  Mike Halkiu supported the prayer ministry on Sunday.

 That wasn’t all; this week your Stroudwater Food Pantry took a big step forward in support of the mission trip to Washington County that starts 7/22.  During the week our church is there, we will host the Princeton Pantry Days, a three day food pantry that will serve Princeton, Big Lake, and Indian Township.  In preparation for the trip, on Tuesday SFP hosted eight teens and 2 chaperones from the My Place Teen Center to fill shopping bags with non-perishable groceries.  The teens built 138 grocery bags!  When we get to Washington County at the end of the month, every family who comes will get a bag of groceries and a case (15 lbs.) of breakfast cereal.

 As we closed out June we hit the mid-way mark for 2018.  So far this year we have distributed more than 31 tons of groceries over the course of 998 family visits to the pantry.  This is ahead of where we were this time last year, putting us on pace to well exceed last year’s impact on regional hunger relief.   Thank you everyone who has supported, contributed to, and worked so hard to forge a Stroudwater Food Pantry that makes such a difference to the communities in the greater Portland area!  — Doug

 To learn more about your Stroudwater Food Pantry, follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stroudwaterfoodpantry/

Hi Team – We had a busy Sunday this week as your Stroudwater Food Pantry served 51 families and providing groceries to a total of 171 people.  8 new families joined the pantry.

Our supermarket rescue food pickups and church donations totaled 2,354 lbs., however, we additionally purchased another 2,080 lbs. of food that needed to be processed as well.  Volunteers this week included Debbie S, Jean, Karlene, Laura, Marie, Melissa, Michael C, Nicki B, Pastor Bill, Phil, Rena, Steve and myself.  Mike Halkiu prayed with three individuals during the prayer ministry on Sunday.

 We processed almost two and a quarter tons of food this week, a ton of which was peanut butter.  We were able to purchase a ton of peanut butter from the Good Shepherd Food Bank at a severely discounted price, a big step towards helping to secure the basic staples we use this year for grocery distribution, Roadside Assistance, and the three day food pantry we will operate in Princeton, Washington County next month.

 Thank you everyone who volunteered this week; to everyone who hefted a mountain of food, everyone who served a very large crowd (some of whom were so hungry they started eating their food before they left the church), and everyone who shared a kind word this weekend with some else who needed some encouragement.  You are the people who make your Stroudwater Food Pantry a shining Light in Cumberland County!       — Doug

To learn more about your Stroudwater Food Pantry, follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stroudwaterfoodpantry/

Hi Team – This week your Stroudwater Food Pantry served 33 families and providing groceries to a total of 108 people.  3 new families joined the pantry this week.

 Our supermarket rescue food pickups, plus church donations of 43 lbs. and this week’s purchased food, yielded 2,483 lbs.  Volunteers this week included Angie, Anna, Cat, Debbie S, Jean, Karlene, Michael C, Mike H, Nicki B, Phil, Rebecca, Rena, Steve and myself.

 We picked up nearly a ton and a quarter of food this week, a good portion of which Al Withee was responsible for when he spied a deal on jelly while shopping at Sam’s Club.  Thanks to Al, SFP was able to buy 648lbs. of Strawberry Preserves for pennies on the dollar (don’t ask me how Al managed to get it all into his car and drive it over to the church!)  Anyway, it was a great find and will go a long way in stocking up on the primary non-perishable food supplies we get to offer to the clients of your Stroudwater Food Pantry!  —  Doug

 To learn more about your Stroudwater Food Pantry, follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stroudwaterfoodpantry/

Hi Team – It was a busy day at your Stroudwater Food Pantry this past Sunday, serving 46 families and providing groceries to a total of 164 people!  4 new families joined the pantry this week.

 Our supermarket rescue food pickups, plus church donations and this week’s purchased food, yielded 2,912 lbs.  Volunteers this week included Anna, Debbie S, Jean, Laura, Michael C, Nicki B., Phil, Rebecca, Steve and myself.

 We picked up nearly a ton and a half of food from our supermarkets this week, which made for a demanding Friday.  Clearly this was a busy weekend for everyone who volunteered this week.  Thank you all!  — Doug

To learn more about your Stroudwater Food Pantry, follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stroudwaterfoodpantry/

Hi Team – We had a light day at your Stroudwater Food Pantry on Sunday, serving 30 families and providing groceries to a total of 102 people.  9 new families joined the pantry this week.

 Our supermarket rescue food pickups, plus church donations and this week’s purchased food, yielded 1,872 lbs.  Volunteers this week included Angie, Anna, Debbie S, Jean, Michael C, Nicki B., Phil, Steve and myself.  Ellen Bois and Mike Halkiu supported the prayer ministry.

 Thank you Team for the hunger relief you continue provide to our community, through your hard work and support of your Stroudwater Food Pantry!  —  Doug

 To learn more about your Stroudwater Food Pantry, follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stroudwaterfoodpantry/

Hi Team – We had a surprisingly busy Sunday for a Memorial Day weekend, serving 43 families and providing groceries to a total of 149 people.  2 new families joined the pantry this week.

 Our supermarket rescue food pickups yielded 2,262 lbs of food, however, we also bought 2,386 lbs of food this week.  Including the 54 lbs of food donated by our church family, we picked up and processed more than two and quarter tons of food this week!

 This week’s volunteers included Anna, Clay, Damaris, Debbie S, Jean, Karlene, Laura, Michael C, Nicki B., Rena, Steve and myself.  A special Thank You to all of you for the incredible amount of work you did this week to make it possible for your Stroudwater Food Pantry to help meet the needs of those less fortunate among us.  God Bless you!!              — Doug

 To learn more about your Stroudwater Food Pantry, follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stroudwaterfoodpantry/

Hi Team – Coming off a slow Mother’s Day last week, yesterday was the second busiest Sunday so far this year for your Stroudwater Food Pantry!   We served 59 families and provided groceries to a total of 197 people.  6 new families joined the pantry this week.

Our supermarket rescue food pickups yielded 2,093 lbs of food.  That ton of food and our 59 families kept this week’s volunteer team very busy!  Volunteers included Angie, Debbie S, Ellen, Jean, Michael C, Nicki Bullis, Phil, Steve, Tammy, Tina Halkiu and myself.

In addition to being blessed to serve so many families this week, your Stroudwater Food Pantry was also blessed to take delivery of our new commercial grade refrigerator! (see picture below).  Our new double wide, glass door, stainless steel refrigerator was delivered Friday, just as we were finishing up our Friday food processing.  We got it running Saturday and by the following morning  it was filled with eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, sour cream, orange juice, and cottage cheese, just in time to better serve our pantry clients.  It was purchased with a $2,000 grant provided by Walmart and coordinated through the Good Shepherd Food Bank.

A special thanks this week to Jean, Steve and Michal, all of whom helped get this monstrous appliance upright and into the Pantry room!  And a much appreciated thank you to Walmart and the Good Shepherd Food Bank, who made possible the financial support for our expanded egg and dairy program that better meets the needs of the meal insecure in the greater Portland area!  — Doug

To learn more about your Stroudwater Food Pantry, follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stroudwaterfoodpantry/

Hi Team – Mother’s Day proved to be a slow Sunday at your Stroudwater Food Pantry; we served 20 families and provided groceries to a total of 51 people.  1 new family joined the pantry this week.

Our supermarket rescue food pickups, plus church donations and this week’s purchased food, yielded 1,706 lbs.  This week’s volunteers included Adam Pitcher, Damaris, Debbie S, Jean, Michael C, Mike H, Phil, Rena, Steve, and myself.

A special thank you to Bill Barrows who is lending us use of his cargo trailer for Friday food pickups, and to everyone who volunteered this week!  —  Doug

To learn more about your Stroudwater Food Pantry, follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stroudwaterfoodpantry/