February 19, 2020

          The leader of a group of Daisy Girl Scouts contacted me and said they were going to have a yoga event and would like to find a way to help the pantry at the same time.  She asked if I could recommend one specific product that each scout could provide.  I asked for dried black beans.  Just about every one of our clients looks for dried black beans.  They prefer them to canned beans because a bag of dried beans will serve more people than canned beans.  Today she arrived, carrying a tote bag full of dried beans, most of which were black.  They went like hotcakes.  What a great idea she had.  Right now we’re overloaded with pasta and macaroni and cheese, but we never have enough dried black beans.  We’ll send them a thank-you letter and maybe they’ll schedule another event at which they can collect more beans for us.

          Our artist, Stephanie Buck, has been coming every week to encourage our clients to express themselves through art for over a year now.  Nobody has to participate, but many do, and quite a few come to the art room regularly.  Today’s theme was “what word would describe what your family is experiencing now?”  The clients drew or created art projects based on that theme.  Last week the artists collaborated on a huge heart on which they placed valentines for us pantry volunteers.  Stephanie says that the clients became enthused and energetic as they found a way to show their thanks to us at the pantry for providing food for them each week.  We volunteers were surprised and touched by the feelings expressed on that valentine.

          By the way, Stephanie has arranged for an art exhibit of the clients’ art to be displayed at the Donald Gallery at South Church throughout the summer, from late June to early September.  She’ll include that huge valentine as one of the exhibits.  People on this list can come at any point over the summer and admire the clients’ work.