This week we again bagged food at the Alameda County Community Food Bank. Because it is summer we were joined by four teenagers from our Youth Group. It was plums and oranges. Anyone who has ever done this work knows that it truly is laborious. But we had fun visiting with the other people who come to volunteer, oftentimes from businesses who give their employees time off to do this. In our case, our youth are the same ones who work each summer in our own “Susan’s Seeds” church garden to put produce in the hands of patrons at the Fruitvale Pantry. We can expand that giveaway this summer because our new Administrative Assistant, Noel, can take produce to other pantries at which she works. It’s all about getting the food we produce to the people who need it.
Last Sunday’s New York Times had an interesting article about the role that food banks can play in helping people help themselves. Understanding that just any food itself is not always the best answer, this article looks at what types of food can better serve people and how they are working to make that happen. We have been supporting purchase of goods, including the choice of fresh produce, at the Fruitvale Pantry, and are working to expand our support to First Presbyterian Church of Oakland.
Summer is such a wonderful, productive time of year. We look forward to again sharing our collective garden wealth with our friends and neighbors who join us for August Celebrations. But if we can get more to those who truly need it, that is a blessing, indeed.