As a venue for people advocating to end hunger in such small communities as Plainwell and Otsego, Christian Neighbors is planning its first community walk on Oct. 2, at 2 p.m. in Hicks Park, with 100 percent of the proceeds going directly to the food pantry.
Christian Neighbors community outreach director Kim Shafer has also been creating awareness of hunger as a real issue in the area by visiting local governmental units and giving reports on how the nonprofit organization has been serving community members in need.
“We are seeing a trend of more folks coming in for food assistance,” Shafer said.
In 2015, Christian Neighbors served 246 new clients bringing the number of clients served to 2,357. The first six months of 2016 has added 85 new clients to the list of families in need with 1,469 individuals served by the end of June.
Christian Neighbors, at 282 12th St., in Plainwell, serves Otsego and Gun Plain townships, the cities of Otsego and Plainwell and most of Cooper and Alamo townships of which are within the school district.
The faith-based ministry was founded in 1983, by local church and community leaders to help those in need, regardless of religious affiliation. Its mission is to provide local families in need with food, emergency financial assistance, veterans’ services, and skill building education to create self-sufficiency.
In 2015, Christian Neighbors not only distributed donated food valued at $144,552 but also $192,249 in emergency financial assistance to prevent 389 households from homelessness and/or heat and electricity shutoffs.
“Last year there was a rise in utility assistance but this year was a warm winter and more are coming in for food assistance,” Shafer said.
In a breakdown of where clients are coming from for food boxes from the pantry and emergency financial assistance, Alamo Township received 124 food boxes and $12,215 in financial assistance; Cooper Township received 119 food boxes and $10,329 in financial assistance; Gun Plain Township received 644 food boxes and $48,834 in financial assistance; Otsego Township received 705 food boxes and $52,323 in financial assistance; the City of Otsego received 469 food boxes and $14,497 in financial assistance; the City of Plainwell received 425 food boxes and $19,897 in financial assistance.
“Any amount not accounted for in the breakdown would be from outlying areas such as Martin, Trowbridge or the homeless with no address entered upon initial visit,” Shafer said.
In 2015, Christian Neighbor’s food pantry had 2,621 visits. Households can visit the pantry to pack a food box once a month. At each pantry visit, households are able to select food for about three meals a day for five days for each household member.
Among the clients served were 833 households, 40 veterans, 881 children, 288 senior citizens, 103 homeless individuals and 403 disabled individuals.
The community donations come from fundraising, food drives, individuals, businesses and organizations.
“The annual Reflection of Hope dinner/auction raises about $50,000 and that goes straight in the emergency financial assistance fund,” Shafer said.
Regular pantry donations are received from churches, food drives, Harding’s Markets, JBS, Walmart and Vande Bunte’s Eggs.
Individuals donate by going to the west side of the building and ringing the doorbell or leaving nonperishables in the donation box. Accepted items also include personal hygiene items of shampoo, conditioner, deodorant and toothpaste; dish, hand, and laundry soap; over-the-counter medication; toilet tissue, facial tissue and paper towels; pet food; diapers and wipes; brown paper or plastic shopping bags are also useful.
This year’s U.S. Post Office food drive raised a record $16,000 worth of food for the pantry and the Allegan County United Way workplace campaign raises more than $10,000 annually. The United Way also sponsors the “Stuff the Bus” food drive.
“The Meijer Simply Give program really helps out in between food drives,” Shafer said. “The $10 card is matched by Meijer and they send us food in increments with last year’s campaign donating $40,000 in value.
“This year’s campaign ended June 19, and those numbers aren’t in yet.”
The Simply Give program supports the Boost Bag program for the summer.
“This is two extra bags of food that is sent home with each child in the household to help make up for not having free breakfast and lunch at school in the summer,” Shafer said.
The Salvation Army and both the Allegan and Kalamazoo county community foundations are also supporters.
Ninety percent of the funding goes directly into programs, with 8 percent for overhead and two percent for fundraising.
“Our receptionist and pantry workers are all volunteer with only a few part-time positions paid,” Shafer said.
Last year, 4,201 volunteer hours were dedicated to the cause.
Christian Neighbors also offers skill building education classes.
In 2015, more than 82 clients attended the budget analysis class given to all households requesting housing assistance. Bi-monthly Connection classes were attended by 145, private financial mentoring sessions were attended by 55 clients and 6-week courses in “Take Control” classes were attended by 36. Three Take Control classes on budgeting, credit repair and wants versus needs are offered per year with one held off-site in the community.
Veterans also receive assistance from the Veterans Service Officer who is available at Christian Neighbors twice a month. Last year, 40 veterans were served. As of June 2016, 24 have been served.
To add another fundraiser and awareness campaign to the list, Christian Neighbors is asking communities to join in their inaugural People Advocating to End Hunger (PATH) Walk by recruiting to form and coordinate groups of walkers from businesses, churches, schools and neighborhoods and to get friends, family and co-workers to sponsor walkers in the event.
To participate, call Shafer at (269) 685-4166 or email kshafer@christianneighbors.org.
For more information, visit www.christianneighbors.org.
Virginia Ransbottom can be contacted at vransbottom@allegannews.com or at (269) 673-5534.
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