Dear Editor:
Help House is experiencing the rise in food cost as everyone is. Harvesters, where we purchase most of the food for the emergency food pantry is not receiving the quantity of donated foods that they were just a couple of years ago, leading to a “trickle down” effect.
The foods Harvesters was receiving from their suppliers that Help House could order for “free” is down by about two thirds. This helped to fill the shelves without breaking our monthly food budget of approximately $2,500 a month.
We ordered from those options as much as possible. We started seeing a decline in those options a couple of years ago. That coupled with the increase in families needing assistance to put food on their tables is creating a need to make the public aware of the situation. Your monthly financial support and donations of non-perishable shelf stable foods are even more important at this time.
For the deer hunters, there is a program called “Hunters Feeding the Hungry”. If you harvest a deer or two and your family is not able to use all the meat, Lazy J Custom Meats at 1039 Laing St., Osage City, will help facilitate your donation of what you can’t use to Help House. The deer must be processed in a locker plant, but through this program USDA does not require it to receive the USDA inspection stamp. If anyone has beef, pork, chicken, or turkey, they would like to donate it must be processed in a plant that does receive the USDA stamp, such as Santa Fe Trail Meats, Overbrook.
Other pantry needs would be for any shelf stable nonperishable foods, such as canned meats, fruits, veggies, cereals, peanut butter, crackers, pancake mix, soups, canned fruits, vegetables, pastas, instant potatoes, toilet paper, laundry and bath soap, toiletries, diapers (size 4 and 5).
If your church or organization would like to collect food items to be donated, it would be welcomed.
We also have a volunteer, Ted Hazelton, who is available to present a short 20 minute program on Help House to any club, church, or civic organization in Osage County. Just call the office during our business hours to schedule: 4-7 p.m. Monday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
For more information, call 785-828-4994, email osagecountyhh@gmail.com, or visit www.helphouse.online. Secure donations may be made on the “Donate” link there.
Thank you for your financial support and prayers for this ministry.
Sincerely,
Raylene Quaney