The Gilmer Community Food Pantry is hoping to start a new outreach program that will give local residents an opportunity to help others who could receive the food pantry’s services, but are unable to do so.
“We’re concerned that there are shut-in individuals and families who have no way to get to the food pantry,” said Allen Triebel, the facility’s executive director. “One way to reach out to them would be a program where a volunteer picks up groceries from the pantry and delivers them to the needy.”
The pantry, located at 5273 Highway 52 East, distributes food from 9 a.m-12:45 p.m. each Wednesday. Program volunteers would agree to pick up and deliver food once a month, Triebel noted.
“A commitment of an hour-and-a-half to two hours a month would provide nourishing healthy food and a friendly, helpful face to people in need,” he added.
“The pantry would enroll these clients in the program and the volunteer would pick up and deliver the groceries. On our form, the customer can designate someone to come pick up for them. Me or a volunteer will meet with the client to sign them up and they would agree to have their (program) volunteer pick up for them in the future.”
Triebel said the reasons potential clients may not be able to come to the food pantry include advanced age, they are physically disabled or have no vehicle or family member to drive them.
Those issues, as well as fear of contracting COVID-19, have resulted in a lower than normal turnout at the food pantry the last few months, he noted.
“Last week, we had 72 clients,” Triebel said. “This week, we only had 67, which is below what we were doing last year under normal circumstances.”
The pantry’s Sack Pack program director, Lu Hale, and Triebel are the first two volunteers to be enrolled in the new delivery effort. They want to find more people who need food and meet the aforementioned criteria, along with enough willing volunteers to get the program off the ground.
“I’ve thought about going to churches and group meetings (to let them know about it), but they aren’t meeting and there’s no speaking in front of groups right now,” Triebel noted.
“Here is an opportunity for churches, small business owners, individuals or anyone who knows of a family in need and would like to help. If you been thinking of a way to give back for your good fortune in life and don’t have time for a larger commitment, this is a way to pay it forward.”
Triebel can be reached at the Gilmer Community Food Pantry, 706-273-3663, Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday mornings to answer questions or provide more information about the delivery program. Anyone interested in volunteering can also make an appointment to visit the food pantry and ask questions.