This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, April 18, 2010 - Though donations tend to spike in the fall around the holidays, the need for food never ebbs, say staffers at the St. Louis Area Foodbank. With summer approaching, they are gearing up for an increase in demand because children who usually participate in breakfast and lunch programs will be out of school and eating at home.
Here are some ways to help:
May 8: Stamp Out Hunger
The National Association of Letter Carriers will hold its annual "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive, the nation's largest single-day food drive on Saturday, May 8. Last year's drive collected a record-setting 73.4 million pounds of food. Watch your mailbox for details.
Birthday parties at the food bank
Give a birthday gift to the food bank, and then tour the facility located in Earth City, with family and friends. Bring your own cake. To schedule a day and time, contact Michael McLain, volunteer coordinator at (314) 292-5760 or mmclain@stlfoodbank.org.
Hold a food drive
People find creative ways to help. In lieu of birthday or anniversary gifts, some donors encourage their friends and family to contribute to the food bank. Others hold "virtual" drives on Facebook, encouraging people to send donation checks. If you want to hold a traditional food drive at church or work, the food bank will deliver and pick up collection barrels. For ideas and help with logistics, contact LaCasey Milton, food donations coordinator, at lmilton@stlfoodbank.org.
Volunteering
Volunteers are needed daily to repack, clean and sort donations in the food bank's repackaging center. Shifts are scheduled months in advance; no walk-ins. For information, contact volunteer coordinators Brett Moeller at bmoeller@stlfoodbank.org or Michael McLain mmclain@stlfoodbank.org.
Donate:
Contributions can be sent to: St. Louis Area Foodbank, 70 Corporate Woods Drive, St. Louis, MO 63044
35 best items to donate
While the food bank appreciates donations of just about any nonperishable food, some items allow food pantries to round out their clients' nutritional and household needs. To note its 35th anniversary, the food bank has compiled this list of 35 items to donate:
1) canned tuna
2) canned chicken
3) canned fruit
4) canned beans
5) peanut butter
6) bottled jelly
7) canned soups
8) canned ravioli
9) boxed/bagged rice products
10) boxed/bagged pasta products
11) condiments/sauces in plastic containers
12) boxed complete meals
13) hot cereal
14) cold cereal
15) powdered milk
16) granola bars
17) breakfast/snack bars
18) boxed crackers
19) fruit snacks
20) canned vegetables
21) bottled juices
22) boxed juices
23) soap/lotion
24) canned chili
25) macaroni and cheese
26) instant mashed potatoes
27) shampoo/conditioner
28) toothbrushes
29) toothpaste
30) feminine products
31) baby body products
32) baby food in plastic containers
33) diapers
34) baby formula
35) toilet tissue
Contact Beacon staff writer Mary Delach Leonard.
Mary Delach Leonard Beacon staff
