Peace and Justice Committee
Food & Hunger

Contents

Grocery Bag Program:

 The Grocery Bag program, which has been administered by Mary Keller and Judy Francis for several years, has encountered increasing challenges from year to year. At their recommendation, the program is being reorganized in 2008, so that individual churches (or smaller groups of congregations) will each pick a church or organization to support.

One of the possible benefits of this model is a more direct connection between the donor church and the recipient church or organization.

This year Zion Mennonite Church has decided to adopt one church in New York, United Revival Mennonite Church in Brooklyn. In January 2008, the grocery bags were Zion's project for the month, and cash donations were collected. Zion used that money to buy the groceries, pack the bags and deliver to Brooklyn. A volunteer from the congregation went to the MCC Resource Center in Ephrata to pick up the empty bags and bring them back to the church for packing.
Folks at Zion would also like this to be a way of connecting better with the congregation and people who will be at the receiving end, in hopes of forming a relationship with that would continue into other areas of church life.

Salford Mennonite Church made plans to fill 200 grocery bags in February for distribution to several places in Philadelphia, and West Swamp Mennonite Church collected groceries in March for delivery to Crossroads Community Center in Philadelphia.

Other congregations which would like to participate in the program can contact Lisa Meck at the MCC Material Resource Center in Ephrata, 717-733-2847. Lisa will then be able to recommend specific congregations or communities that could make use of the food donations. You may also contact Melissa Landis at the Mennonite Conference Center in Souderton (215-723-5513, x123. mlandis@franconiaconference.org )

The Peace and Justice Committee is looking for a volunteer to help publicize this program to our congregations and help new congregations get started with the Grocery Bag program. Please contact us for further information.

Vegetable Basket Project:

 Donated fruits and vegetables are collected from local farmers and gardners, this year in coordination with with the Food Trust, a Philadelphia based non-profit organization which sets up farmers markets and negotiates with grocery chains to serve low-income communities. The program has delivered an abundance of fresh produce to two agencies that serve low-income people: the Shepherd's Shelf in Kulpsville, the Indian Valley Opportunity Center in Souderton, and Manna on Main Street in Lansdale. In years with a good growing season, volunteers have processed and distributed over 10,000 lbs. of donated produce.

The Vegetable Basket Project collects fruit and vegetables (from mid-July until early October). Drop off your produce on Monday mornings before 9:30 a.m. at Deep Run East Mennonite Church, Blooming Glen Creamery Apartments on Rt. 113 in Blooming Glen, Indian Valley Mennonite Church, or by 10:00 am at the Mennonite Conference Center in Souderton. The summer of 2007 brought us an abundant growing season, and we look forward to working with the Food Trust again in this summer. For more information, contact Bob Moyer (215-766-0825) or the Mennonite Conference Center at 215-723-5513.

World Food Crisis: Resources

Location: http://efpjc.ppjr.org/food/
Last Updated: June 25, 2008