LIVING LIFE IN COMMUNITY
Message from the Director
Abigail lives alone.
This 42-year-old African American woman is disabled and lives away from all her family. She was hit by a car over five years ago and laid in a hospital in a coma until she miraculously woke up. She now has a hard time walking long distances and spends most of her time at home often in the dark due to her inability to afford her PGE bill. Each month she has to decide which bill to pay late because she can’t afford her rent and many of her other bills including food. Her favorite seasons are Spring and Summer because her apartment stays lit longer in the day.
Abigail’s story can be multiplied repeatedly.
In June 2022 we launched our delivery program for those who are elderly and disabled in our community. The demand is great. As of the writing of this newsletter we are booking deliveries into the month of June. Many individuals live alone, the contact and socialization they are able experience from this program for many is a highlight of their week. We help to connect them to their community.
Community is strength
Let's do something together
Thank you for your on-going financial support that has allowed us to launch into delivering food. The excellent team of staff and volunteers that work on this program bring a level of compassion and sensitivity that those living isolated often crave. We would like to invite you to consider becoming one of our volunteer drivers. The main limitations the program has currently is volunteer drivers.
Please visit POBCPANTRY.COM, fill out a volunteer form and we will be in contact with you so you can learn more.
We are excited to announce the new partnership our pantry has formed with Zenger Farm. The farm is a working urban farm that models, promotes, and educates about sustainable food systems, environmental stewardship, community development and access to good food for all.
Starting on June 2, 2023, Zenger Farm has invited POBC Pantry to come every Friday and Saturday morning for 2 hours throughout the whole summer and fall months to come and glean fresh fruits and vegetables to give out to those coming to our pantry. This is such a huge and fantastic opportunity. The farm is located on Foster Rd. very close to the pantry.
We would like to invite you, your friends, your family, and neighbors to sign up to come and glean this summer. You can sign up once or as many times as you would like. Each day we need 5 to 10 volunteers, these volunteers can also be children that come along with their guardians.
Your financial contributions are always highly coveted and volunteering this summer will help us provide the needed fresh fruits and vegetables our families desperately need.
Below, you will find the POBC Pantry and Zenger Farm flyer. The QR code on the flyer will take you directly to the landing page where you can sign up. In addition, please feel free to partner with us and forward the flyer to every single person you know that would enjoy this summer adventure and community building.
Thanks so much for your support. We could not do all that we do without your continued encouragement. Also, for those of you who have not heard, the “2023 Share the Love Gala” raised over $94,000. We are honored that you helped to make the evening such a success.
We look forward to gleaning with you this summer,
Betty Brown
Executive Director
POBC Pantry
