http://www.thebattlecreekshopper.com BATTLE CREEK SHOPPER NEWS Thursday, June 27, 2024 9
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269-223-drive, said Johnson.
And, thanks a grant from
Encourage B.C. the pantry was able
to purchase food carts for food stor-
age.
The Love Thy Neighbor Pantry,
which operates solely on volunteer
help, also maintains a backpack pro-
gram in which they stock backpacks
full of enough food for the weekend
for Harper Creek Public Schools stu-
dents, during the school year.
“One thing that’s a little bit differ-
ent about our pantry than the other
pantries, too, is we let them shop,”
said Jonson. “So they come in, get
signed in, tell us how many people
are in their family. Based on that, we
determine a fixed amount of food, a
minimum amount, which is quite a
lot and they can shop, pick out their
produce.”
Produce include asparagus, apples,
spinach, carrots, bell peppers, toma-
toes, and more.
“It’s expensive in the store,” she
said. “Most of it is from Sprout.
Some of it is from the food bank.”
Family Fare also donates pastries,
doughnuts, bread and cookies.
The pantry writes grants for paper
bags from Family Fare which also
sometimes donates plastic bags.
The pantry also accepts monetary
donations for food bank purchases.
The South Michigan Food Bank also
accepts donations for the pantry if it
is designated on the check.
One man stopped into the pantry
last Wednesday to drop off $
because he had grown up in poverty
and relied on food pantries for food
and clothing, he said.
“The generosity of the community
gets me every time,” said Johnson.
“But the needs of the people com-
ing in, that gets me, too. We had a
lady come in and say, ‘I’m working
three jobs, why do I still need to
come here?’ We have people at the
doorway who cry. They’re humbled
that they have to come here but we
don’t want them to feel like that. It’s
on our hearts to serve so we wel-
come people. We want them to have
dignity. There is no shame. Every
person needs help from time to time.
We just all need to help take care of
each other. This is the most reward-
ing thing I’ve ever done.”
Nancy Dolphin has volunteered
at the pantry since it was started by
Lutzke.
“Originally, we all went to the
First Wesleyan Church which is
now Woodland Church and Fred
was doing soup kitchens,” she said.
“We would go down to the Salvation
Army once a month to prepare a
meal and that’s how we got started.
And then, when we left there, he
started the pantry and we came with
him. Love it. I still work down at the
Salvation Army. I love people, and
if I can help them, I will. I may needhelp some day I would hope some
people would reach out.”
Janet Kincaid has been volunteer-
ing at the pantry just as long, while
Bob Merwin is the newest volunteer.
All three agreed that they like the
new building.
“I do the computer,” said Kincaid.
“We check them in. We’re all pretty
much able to pick up anywhere
because we’ve done it at some
point.”
Her husband, Earl, also volunteers
at the pantry.
“They’ve done an outstanding job,”said Neighborhood Food Pantry
Ministries Director Janet Borders.
“All of the volunteers led by direc-
tor Sharon Johnson have just beenSee FOOD on 11