Food Drives Support The Family Center
For the City Times
Stamp Out Hunger drive is May 14
The annual “Scouting for Food” drive was a success, with local donations directed to The Family Center and South Wood Emerging Pantry Shelf.
The Family Center was one of more than 50 organizations in the 13 counties served by the Samoset Council.
Approximately 6,885 pounds of food was donated to The Family Center, where it will be is used for shelter residents and outreach clients. Clients are never charged for any services; people must be receiving services through The Family Center to access the center’s food pantry.
SWEPS, located at 331 12th St. S., does its own screening of clients. Hours are noon to 4 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays.
The 24th annual Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is set for Saturday, May 14. No special bags are needed. Residents should place nonperishable goods at their mailbox well before their normal mail delivery time, where it will be collected by letter carriers. Missed donations will be picked up Monday, May 16.
Jean Sorenson, right, a longtime volunteer at The Family Center, helps unload food from the Copps “Sack Hunger” food drive, benefiing the organization. At left is Tammi Klish, service operations manager for the Wisconsin Rapids Copps store. (Courtesy Family Center)
The top requested non-perishable food items are: cereal, pasta, pasta sauce or spaghetti sauce, rice, canned fruits and vegetables, canned meals (such as soups, chili and pasta), 100% juice, peanut butter, macaroni & cheese, canned protein (tuna, chicken and turkey), beans (canned or dry), according to information provided by the National Association of Letter Carriers’ website.
Frozen food, homemade food or home-canned items, or food in glass jars, should not be donated. In keeping with good food-handling and food-safety procedures, food that is opened, damaged, out of code or does not have the official ingredients included will be discarded by the food bank in the sorting process, according to the website.
In March, Copps Food Center sponsored an 11-day “Sack Hunger” drive for The Family Center. Customers had the opportunity make a $5 donation. The promotion resulted in 285 bags being “sold,” well over Copps goal of 150.
The Family Center appreciates the continued support of residents, businesses and organizations.
The Family Center accepts food donations on an ongoing basis. Food can be dropped off between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at the donation entrance, located adjacent to The Family Center, 500 25th St. N.
Call 715-421-1559 for more information or with questions regarding particular needs at any given time.
About The Family Center
Founded in 1984, The Family Center, 500 25th St. N., provides a 24-hour secure shelter for victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault, as well as outreach programs for children, teens, Hmong, senior and vulnerable adult services, and visitation services. Follow Wisconsin Rapids Family Center on Facebook, @familyctr on Twitter, and at www.familyctr.org. The Family Center provides all services free of charge.
