And shelf stable products,
all those kind of things.
Meat, mentioned
also the meal.
So this week we are serving chicken
noodle soup, which has been really
popular.
But also we do have a meal here
every week. So again, we're serving
four days a week and people can come
to us for the meal and it just takes
the burden off of people having to
prepare one more meal.
They can have one already prepared
for them and their families.
Do you see a lot of first time
visitors?
Another heartbreaking thing, yes, we
do see a lot of first time.
Last week was 81 households had
never been here before, came for the
very first time and to see the
looks on their face, they're
frightened, they don't know what to
do or what to expect and for
many of them they're feeling shame
and they're
telling us sorry
that I'm here and apologizing for
being here and we
greet them with a smile.
You saw Kevin here as our
registering clients and
greeting them with the smile and
with It's okay.
We're here. We're going to help you.
And there's people from all walks
of life.
So it's the grandmother,
it's a working family.
It's the senior, it is the veteran.
It is all walks of life.
So we don't discriminate
here. We don't
decide who comes here.
We serve everybody that's coming
here. And we know that there's such
a need. We're here, we're welcoming
for anybody that needs us.
What can people who
want to
help use
this pantry, other pantries,
what can they do?
It's really for all food pantries
across the country.
We're all in this work together.
We're wanting to make a difference
in people's lives with
just a basic need of food.
Money is needed and that's what
I'm hearing from other food pantries
too.
Money is the number one request
right so we can again make that
dollar stretch a little bit farther
but again the other thing is having
food brought in
for us any kind
of shelf stable product we're happy
for as well as paper type products.
Toilet paper is something that we
all need and sometimes you don't
think about that in a food pantry.
We try to give out toilet paper once
a week to our clients.
So it's all those things are needed.
And again, for some people,
one thing means more than the other.
Maybe it is that tangible item about
bringing the food item.
Maybe others, it's easier for them
to write a check.
But both are needed, and I know some
food pantries are looking for
volunteers.
Fortunately, we've had an overload
of volunteer requests.
I think over 300 applications
within the last 10 days.
But unfortunately, we're not going
anywhere.
When SNEP benefits come back, we're
still going to be here, so we still
need volunteers.
So in the new year, people can
continue to sign up and volunteer.
Is there anything you'd like to add
on this?
Just really the community here
in Dane County, Wisconsin,
just really appreciate them.
They're hearing us.
They're hear all the food pantries.
I'm just going to tell them to
continue to give.
So when this may not
be in the news anymore,
we're we're here because there are
still people that are needing help.
All right, thank you so much.
Thank you.