Want to HELP ORGANIZE A FOOD DRIVE? How about DELIVER FOOD FROM BUSINESSES TO SOUP KITCHENS?

A JOINT GRACE CHRISTIAN CHURCH / ORB FOOD DRIVE

A message from Jim and Lelia Armstrong of Grace Christian Church in Tinton Falls:

We're organizing a food drive at Grace Christian Church for the first two weeks in June (June 1st - June 14th). The purpose is threefold: (1) to collect much-needed food items for the local pantries & soup kitchens; (2) to educate our congregation on hunger issues in the local area; and (3) to gain some experience and (hopefully) expertise in orchestration of food drives so that we can share it with other churches in the county with the objective to encourage them and gain more partners in supporting nearby pantries and soup kitchens. We always have room for joint projects, so if ORB wants to join in the fun, we'd be glad to have you!

This would be awesome if we could do this. With the permission of Christian, I would love to start collecting as soon as June 1st. Who would like to be involved in the collection and post-collection coordination process? Let me know at chris@theorb.org.

HOW MUCH FOOD DOES AMERICA THROW AWAY?

From the New York Times (Click on the above image to enlarge)

This is something that everyone seems to know is an injustice, but no one really knows what to do about it.

DELIVERING FOOD FROM BUSINESSES TO SOUP KITCHENS

Well, some gracious people at Grace Christian Church in Tinton Falls have decided to do something about it! Jim and Lelia Armstrong have organized a team that takes bread that would have been thrown away in businesses like Panera and Manhattan Bagel, wrap it, and give it to local food banks and soup kitchens in Monmouth County, such as Lunch Break in Red Bank!

But with their operation growing, they need ORB's help! And I would love it if some of us could help out! They are open to any suggested times and businesses, but here are their most pressing needs if you just want to jump right in.

We have basically the same "permanent" volunteer opportunities open, plus a "temporary 3-week vacation" coverage. They are:

WEEKLY SCHEDULES
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MONDAY: Pick up at Manhattan Bagel, 8:00 p.m. & package.

Pick up at Panera at 9:15 p.m. & package.

Delivery on Tuesday morning to: Salvation Army, Asbury Park; The Center, Asbury Park.

(possible delivery to Lunch Break, Red Bank, if quantity of products received permits)

SATURDAY: Pick up at Manhattan Bagel, 6:00 p.m. & package.

Pick up at Panera at 9:15 p.m. & package.

Delivery on Sunday to Long Branch Church of God, Long Branch; St. Augustine's Episcopal Church. Delivery to by between 11:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

OTHER: (1) Additional pick ups/packaging at Manhattan Bagel, 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Friday & Sunday at 3:00 p.m.

(2) TEMPORARY-TUESDAY, May 20th-Jun 3rd: Pick up at Manhattan Bagel at 9:15 p.m. & package. Delivery on Wednesday a.m. to Spring House, Eatontown; Eatontown Senior Center; Eatontown Food Pantry.

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If you are interested/available for any of these days, we'd be very happy to first demonstrate what is entailed so it is seen and experienced first-hand prior to any commitment. We have the packaging supplies on hand, so all they'd need is the desire and about 3 hours to commit. It would be great--down the road a bit--to cultivate more delivery locations in the Middletown area that would allow volunteers who live in that area to partner with the Panera there, resulting in a more convenient delivery schedule for those who live north of Tinton Falls/Shrewsbury/Lincroft.

Is anyone up for it? If so, e-mail chris@theorb.org and let me know. (The people that have already expressed interest, I will contact you in the next day or so to coordinate.)

-cdlc