Food Shelf News – March 19, 2020

Susan Ohanian

Keep Safe
Please know that the Food Shelf is taking precautions to help everyone keep safe. Anyone who has a fever or cough—symptoms that might seem like a cold–should not come to the Wednesday or Thursday distributions. Also, don’t come if you’ve been in contact with anyone who has these symptoms. Instead, call and leave your name and number. You will receive a call back to arrange for food to be delivered. This procedure will help keep families and volunteers safe. Call: (802) 425-3252.

Reminder: The best defense against coronovirus is careful and frequent handwashing, but sometimes this is not possible, so we’re including a recipe for homemade sanitizer. Here’s what you need:

  • 1 quart bottle/jar
  • Fill jar with 2/3 rubbing alcohol of at least 70% strength
  • Mix in 1/3 moisturizer such as aloe vera gel.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention points out that sanitizer is only effective if you cover your dry hands thoroughly and then allow them to dry. Squirting a few drops into your palms and then wiping your hands won’t help much. Warning: Baby wipes don’t work as well as hand washing or hand sanitizer. And remember: washing hands for 20 seconds with soap and water is the best protective action. Sing the chorus to one of these songs to make sure you reach 20 seconds:

  • The Alphabet Song
  • Happy Birthday (sing twice)
  • This Land is Your Land
  • Erie Canal [Low Bridge, Everybody Down] (two verses)

These are Golden Oldies: Challenge your kids to find their own verses that will provide a 20-second hand washing cue.

Nutrition Tip for Babies and Toddlers
The American Academy of Pediatrics offers this advice: Do not give fruit juice to babies under one year old. Fruit juice for babies offers no nutritional value. For older children juice should be limited. Toddlers ages 1-3 should drink no more than 4 ounces a day. That’s half a cup.
Another warning: Toddlers should not be given juice from bottles or “sippy cups” that allow kids to sip on juice throughout the day. This long exposure can lead to tooth decay. Instead of juice, children should be encouraged to eat whole fruits which offers dietary fiber.
For more information, visit www.aap.org

Celebrate Spinach!
March 26 is Spinach Day, and Popeye was right! Spinach is good for you. It contributes to heart health and athletic performance by improving blood flow and muscle power. Most health benefits come from eating it raw or steamed.

Boost Your Grocery Budget
Thank you to Luna Collins, Outreach Systems Specialist, AmeriCorps VISTA, who is reaching out to make people aware of services offered by the Vermont Foodbank. 3SquaresVT (3SVT also known as SNAP) can boost your grocery budget! Thousands of Vermonters use their monthly 3SVT benefit to purchase more of the foods they love. You may be eligible and not even know it! Call the toll-free HelpLine number for 3Squares VT information or for help applying: (855) 855-6181. People can also text the keyword VFBSNAP to 85511 to find out if they are eligible or visit the Vermont Foodbank website.

In Appreciation
Thank you to all the coffee drinkers at the Shelburne Market coffee bar and to the market for making this donation happen.

Thank you to Katherine Stockwell for the suicide prevention pamphlets from Howard Center and the art kits for children from Color My World, a non-profit for children.

Thank you for financial contributions from Deborah Cook, Anne Castle, Charlotte Organic Co-op, Kathleen Nolan, and LLC Trustee for Red Hat Matching Funds.

Important Upcoming Distribution Dates at the Charlotte Congregational Church
Wednesday, Mar. 25, April 8: 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, 26, April 9: 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Please remember: Don’t come if you have a fever or cough or have been near someone with these symptoms. Call (802) 425-3252 to arrange for food delivery.

Financial Assistance
As a reminder, the Food Shelf has some funds available for emergency assistance with fuel and electric bills. You may contact Pat Rodar at (802) 425-3083 if you need assistance.

We are available to all community residents. Privacy is very important and respected in our mission of neighbor helping neighbor.

For emergency food call John at (802) 425-3130.
For emergency assistance (electricity, fuel) call Pat at (802) 425-3083.

Donations
The Charlotte Food Shelf Inc. is a non-profit organization and all donations are tax deductible. Our organization is run by volunteers, and so all donations made to the Food Shelf go directly for nutritious food and/or assistance to our local neighbors in Charlotte and North Ferrisburgh. Should you wish to honor someone with a donation, a special acknowledgment will be sent to that person.

Checks may be mailed to: Charlotte Food Shelf & Assistance, PO Box 83, Charlotte, Vermont 05445.

Donated food drop off locations
All non-perishable food donations may be dropped off at the Charlotte Library, The Charlotte Congregational Church vestry, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church (main entrance) or at the Food Shelf during the distribution mornings. Please check the expiration date. We request that all fresh foods be dropped off at the Food Shelf before the Wednesday distribution hours or before 7:30 a.m. on the Thursday distribution mornings.

The Charlotte Food Shelf is located on the lower level of the Charlotte Congregational Church vestry. Distribution days/times are posted on bulletin boards in the Charlotte Congregational Church Hall, at the Charlotte Library, and at the Charlotte Senior Center. You may also call the Food Shelf at (802) 425-3252 for a recording of the distribution times.