Bloomington food Pantry 279, the pantry with TLC is seeking donations for its annual Thanksgiving food drive.
Pantry 279 currently serves more than 1,000 families, roughly 3,400 individuals, a month. However, this year has been challenging as the pantry continues to accept more people, but donations have been few.
This year, in its third annual drive, the pantry has a goal to feed 1,200 families with food boxes filled with traditional Thanksgiving food. Thus far, only 750 people have signed up to donate either food, time or money and the cut off ends at 1,200.
“We need as much exposure as possible," pantry director Cindy Chavez said. "People need to know number one that there’s resources available. If you need this, we are here."
Chavez said she blames recent distractions on the lack of donations this year.
“I think people are very preoccupied and they have been sending donations to hurricane victims and have been worried about elections, which has distracted people from donating around Thanksgiving time,” Chavez said.
The purpose of the drive is to give comfort to families who are struggling to find money to pay for rent as well as feed their families.
“The idea is to give them a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with their families so they can actually have that experience,” Chavez said. “It’s the emotional benefactor of being able to spend that day anxiety free.”
According to its website, Pantry 279 started with Girl Scouts from troop 69-279 as part of its Silver Award Project in order to help its friends who needed food outside of school. Partnering with Trinity Lutheran Church, the pantry opened on November 2, 2015, and is continuing to grow in the number of families it serves.
The pantry is open to the public and youth groups to participate as volunteers. It also provides education to these volunteers about food needs in their community.
The pantry is open 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 5 p.m.to 6 p.m. Tuesdays are specialized for veterans and disabled people. The pantry is located at Trinity Lutheran Church located at 501 E. Temperance, Ellettsville, Indiana.
“Anybody can come that needs food,” Chavez said.
Volunteers can sign up to donate food items for the Thanksgiving food drive through Pantry 279’s website. Pick up day is 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17 at the Trinity Lutheran Church.
