Lovell community food pantry serves families

Hosted in the United Methodist church, the Lovell community food pantry is full of donated food and thriving.
The food pantry is open in the back door of the Lovell United Methodist Church on Friday afternoons from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. or by appointment.
Methodist Church member Susan Peck said the pantry was started a few years ago, spurred by the efforts of a few pastors, as an effort to have a more consistent source of food for those in need in the community. Before the food pantry, churches would give food to people passing through or community members in need, but there was not a centralized location to get food.
Peck said the Friday afternoon pick-ups work for most people, and there are just a few people who need to make appointments for food due to work or other conflicts. Anyone who needs an appointment outside of the Friday hours should contact the volunteers via the numbers posted on the pantry door.
The food pantry consists mainly of nonperishable food, bread and hygiene products, with meat and fruits on occasion.
Nonperishable donations are preferred by the pantry because it is hard to plan for the correct amount of perishable food, Peck said. Peck asked for people to please not donate canned corn, green beans or peas because the pantry has a surfeit.
Besides cereal and bread, there are certain items the food pantry could use, Peck said.
“Soups or fruits are great any time, plus hamburger helper and pasta. We’re doing well with peanut butter right now, but jellies would be great. And pancake mix, syrup or oatmeal, that kind of stuff. Mixed vegetables are fine,” she said.
Sometimes, the food pantry gets wild meat through different packing companies via a state program, Peck said. At first, she was worried about taking the wild meat, but she said the meat is through certified processing plants and freezers as well as being endorsed as safe by the governor’s wife.
The community has been generous with their donations, Peck said.
“We have been getting what we need, and we only just every now and then have to go to the store to get some bread or something. We’ve actually been doing pretty well, but usually this time of year we are doing very well because everybody’s thinking about helping others,” she said. “Sometimes after January goes on, we will slip by the store and get things we need.”
Peck thanks all the wonderful community members who take the time to donate or help out with the program. Those who want to donate monetarily can do so by giving to the United Methodist Church, Post Office Box 324, or at the Bank of Lovell with the donation earmarked for the food pantry.