Partners critical for food shelf to help food insecure

First of all, a little bit about the Vermont Foodbank.

The Vermont Foodbank, headquartered in Barre, is the state’s largest hunger-relief organization, committed to helping Vermonters access nourishing food through a network of more than 300 community partners, which include food shelves, meal sites, senior centers, after-school programs, schools and hospitals.

Vermont Foodbank provides approximately 12 million pounds of food annually to people throughout the state of Vermont. Its vision for our state is that everyone has equitable access to enough nourishing food every day; takes action to eliminate hunger and poverty; and has what they need to thrive.

The way it works is, the foodbank secures large quantities of food from grocery stores, local Vermont farms and food producers, small food retailers, nationwide food producers and federal food sources, then sorts and distributes food to local pantries and meal programs. Because food banks buy products at discounted prices, they’re able to sell food more cheaply.

Buying from the foodbank enables our food shelf, along with other food pantries and meal programs, to turn donated dollars into additional meals and food.

The foodbank does not distribute food directly to individuals, but rather, to its network partners, of which there are over 200 around the state. There are 280 food shelves or pantries, senior centers, shelters and school programs in Vermont that help feed as many as 86,000 Vermonters, though the foodbank estimates that there are hundreds of thousands of Vermonters, including children, seniors and working families, who are unable to put enough food on the table.

And now, a little bit about our wonderful high-school student volunteers.

The Champlain Valley Union High School Volunteer Outreach Club has been a great help to the Charlotte Food Shelf for several years. Amy Wardwell, longtime social studies teacher and current interim Snelling House director, is faculty advisor of the Volunteer Outreach Club. She said that Peggy Sharpe, director of the Charlotte Food Shelf, initially reached out to her just after COVID to see if any students might be interested in helping with holiday baskets.

Since then, CVU students have been regular helpers at the food shelf. The food shelf now has four student volunteers, who help with grocery shopping and milk pick-ups.

Recently, one told how he was sent to pick up 26 bags of flour from a local grocery store and received some funny looks as he wheeled his cart down the aisle. Student volunteers are given a card to buy supplementary products from grocery stores the food shelf has special connections with.

While the seniors and the junior pick up groceries and milk, one regular student volunteer helps on Wednesday afternoons, sorting food and other items and putting together boxes at the church, and on Saturday mornings when boxes and bags are picked up by customers.

For the holidays, had six to eight students who helped put together bags for distribution and a number who returned to help with pick-ups. We are exploring having one or two more student volunteers coming regularly going forward.

The students who volunteer at the food shelf need to be reliable, Amy explained, and must have an understating of confidentiality, as it isn’t easy for everyone to access the services of a food shelf. Compassion and mindfulness are important qualities in our student volunteers, who thankfully have always been thoughtful, respectful, appropriate and helpful.

The CVU Volunteer Outreach Club has about 60 members, 35 of whom attend meetings regularly. High school students are busy people, Amy said. They have a lot going on. Other volunteer efforts include the Polar Express, the March 21 Spectrum Sleep Out, the May COTS Walk, various events held by the Shelburne Rotary Club (such as pie breakfasts), CVU’s incoming students day, spring and fall clothing swaps, local craft fairs and more.

Students are always looking for volunteer opportunities, Amy said, so if you need volunteers, you might want to ask; they might be available.

So, thank you, Vermont Foodbank. And thank you, CVU student volunteers. And thank you, also, David and Kim Ziegelman, Eleanor and Mark Capeless, Timothy and Mary Volk, Walter Gates, Joseph and Jennifer Dickerman, Charles and Elisabeth Deslauriers, Horsford Gardens and Nursery, Barry and Susan Cluff, the town of Charlotte, Maurice (Moe) Harvey and Mary Mead, Kathleen Nolan, John and Anne Murray, for your generous donations. A belated but heartfelt thank you, also, to Lisa Phelps and SCHIPS, for the monetary donations for hats and mittens for kids.

We couldn’t do it without these incredible partners. We are so grateful.

Charlotte Food Shelf is a non-profit striving to provide nutritious food for residents of Charlotte and North Ferrisburgh on the second and fourth Wednesdays (4-6 p.m.) and Saturdays (9-11 a.m.) of each month, unless otherwise noted.

The food shelf provides the following types of assistance based on available funds: emergency heating assistance (fuel and electric), children’s assistance program (non-marking sneakers for PE at school and winter clothing) and emergency assistance grants. For applications for grant assistance, forms are available at the food shelf and on the website.

If you would like to donate to the Charlotte Food Shelf, your donation will help us support our neighbors in need. Giving online is easy and safe through PayPal or your credit or debit card. If you prefer check, make checks payable to Charlotte Food Shelf and mail to: P.O. Box 83, Charlotte, VT 05445. For more information, call 802-425-2402.

The Charlotte Food Shelf is a nonprofit tax-exempt organization. Gifts are tax deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law.

The food shelf is accepting non-perishable items. Please bring items to the food shelf during regular distribution times.

The Food Shelf welcomes volunteers to assist with food distribution, food shopping and special projects throughout the year. For more information email.