Volunteers Help Fill Food Pantry's Empty Shelves

Volunteers of all ages helped the bring in 57 large boxes full of food, as well as more then $270 in donations, at last weekend’s food drive.

Saturday’s Can Jubilee with Operation Food Search stationed Girl Scouts from Affton High School’s troop 1739 and seven families from at the Schnucks grocery store at Gravois Road and Hampton Avenue. Volunteers gave shoppers flyers asking for one or two of the items the food pantry needs most, such as canned chili, beef stew, cereal and peanut butter.

“We are completely overwhelmed by the generosity of the Schnucks patrons on Saturday,” said Jennifer Meehan, the pantry’s executive director. “Our pantry manager, Marie Labus, was thrilled and surprised by the number of food donations and the amount of cash donations, both of which appear to be greater than last year.”

The Can Jubilee is one of few opportunities for families to volunteer together, and 17 children between the ages of 3 and 10 (and their parents) helped staff the food drive.

“So often, families struggle to find volunteer opportunities that engage young children and are actually helpful to the non-profit organizations,” Meehan said.

Still more volunteers helped transport the food from the store to the pantry, including Steve Mueller, a board member, Kevin Harmann, a regular volunteer, Vianney junior Brendan Cronley, Meehan’s own family and two teens, Connor and Miles, who were “happy to help in exchange for bottles of water and a few cookies,” Meehan said.

If you’d like to help the pantry this month, US Bank’s Affton Branch at 8301 Gravois Road is holding a food drive now through August 10.