Let the Rains Begin!
Cooler weather and rain are finally here! The ROC Food Pantry, the largest food pantry in Josephine County distributing more food than all the other food pantries combined, embraces all weather conditions to serve our clients. So far this fall the ROC Food Pantry has continued to max-out serving nearly 600 families per week, including 110 home deliveries every week. The ROC has been picking up the slack for several local pantry closures. We would like to thank all the incredible volunteers who are the engines that drive the food distributions. And, of course, none of this could be accomplished without donors like you… thank you.
As big as those numbers sound we want to be sure you understand what they truly represent. Imagine being a cook for a middle school lunch program with a student body of 300 children. At the end of the week the cook can say with integrity “I cooked for 1500 individuals” and yet also say “I cooked for 300 kids all week”. Both statements are true and factual, but the former is the measure of their labor in a different way than the latter. For the cook the former is a true measure of their effort, and this is how the ROC is required to report our monthly services to the Josephine County Food Bank. When we report that we have served over 6500 individuals in one month we don’t mean that there are 6500 people in our city struggling with hunger that use our services. Our client list is a little more than 1500 people that come to us weekly (4 times each month) for help with food for themselves and their families.
We share this because some may mistakenly read these numbers in ways that stretch credibility, and it is important to us that we maintain trust with folks like you who support the ROC Food Pantry. Over 1500 of our neighbors in Grants Pass struggle to make ends meet each week and it is our intention to be here for them as long as the need remains by the grace of God and with your help.
Some stories of appreciation…Walt, one of our home delivery drivers, delivers to over 40 clients per week. Week after week, Walt steps up to hand deliver 80+ bags of groceries, not only an excellent feat of physical fitness, but a positive shining light to everyone he has contact with. He delivers to Ellen, an elderly lady who patiently waits every Thursday to talk to and thank Walt personally. For some of our clients the chance to talk with our delivery drivers may be the only human interaction they have all day. Jack is a Viet Nam veteran who lives alone and is always grateful for the groceries he receives. Felecia takes care of her mother and can not physically come to the food distributions…she is always appreciative of the ROC drivers. She saw me limping one day and insisted on praying for me! I pray for her and all our home delivery clients.
Fall has brought several organizations to volunteer in the food distributions. The ROC Food Pantry is grateful to the LDS Church and its members for all they do…they not only donate bulk food at crucial times, but they step up and volunteer to work in the distribution lines regardless of weather. River Valley’s Sunny Valley team have built hundreds of produce bags filled with fresh vegetables, week in, week out. Amazing! The Rotary Club of Grants Pass spent a Thursday handing out grocery bags. If you, or your organization, would like to be part of ROC food distributions, please contact us.
The ROC Food Pantry over the years has been the beneficiary of many shared family-volunteering. Our latest addition is the McDaniel family… Jo Ann, James, Savion, and Jennifer. It is awesome to see family values in action, and to see people giving back to God. What an amazing learning experience for children! Please contact us if your family would like to volunteer.
The ROC Food Pantry has started a Bible study on Wednesdays at 10:30 am. We would like to thank Wendy for her phenomenal teaching! All are welcome, just come on in.
It’s worth repeating that the ROC Food Pantry is NOT a homeless ministry…we ARE a help-people-stay-in-their-home ministry. What this means is that when many households are struggling financially and must make difficult choices including paying rent or mortgage, food insecurity will not influence them. When a mother must decide between paying bills or buying food for her children, the ROC Food Pantry is here to help. When individuals on fixed incomes are getting pummeled by inflation, taxes, fees, permits, licenses, etc., the ROC Food Pantry provides quality food boxes every week to residents facing food insecurity. For those of you who are regular donors to the ROC, we just want to take the time to thank you. We witness the many instances of gratitude from hundreds of folks in our community right here in Grants Pass who may temporarily, or even permanently, rely on ministries like ours to help them through the month.
Are you thinking about having a yard sale? The ROC Food Pantry hosts Backdoor Bargains, a yard sale across the street from the ROC. All profits go to help the operations of the ROC Food Pantry. You can drop your saleable stuff off to Backdoor Bargains, avoid the hassle of a long weekend yard sale, get a tax-deductible receipt for the full value of your items, and help the ROC purchase food! If you would like to donate or volunteer at the Backdoor Bargains yard sale, please contact us.
Another way you can help, consider purchasing a pallet of food. We go through about 20 pallets of food each week and your gift of $240 can go to the purchase of an actual ton of food! A single pallet of canned green beans, tomato paste, chicken broth, or maybe peanut butter, can help fill hundreds of grocery bags and complete a healthy meal for the families that receive them. If you are able and would like to make a gift that will literally reach hundreds of individual families right here in Grants Pass, purchasing a pallet of food is a great way to do it! It takes a mountain of food to feed 600 families every week. The ROC Food Pantry went through well over a million and a half pounds of food last year! May God bless you for considering the ROC Food Pantry with your giving.
