Pantry gives away 784, 25-pound boxes of fresh produce in two hours the same day
During the Community Pantry & Hope Garden’s morning food distribution May 27, the Gallup Elks Lodge # 1440 gave something back: a check for $4K.
“If it wasn’t for organizations such as the Elks Lodge, we would not be able to do the extra stuff that we have to do,” Alice Perez, Community Pantry executive director, said. She says the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the pantry hard.
Pre-COVID-19 we were serving 3500 families right here in McKinley County. We anticipate our numbers to reach 7000 by June 1,” she said.
In only two hours, May 27, Perez stated the pantry distributed 784 25-pound boxes of produce.
The Elks made their donation to the effort in cash. “Elks always care, Elks always share,” Jon Fouser Exalted Ruler at Gallup Elks Lodge #1440 said.
The initiative set forth by Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Grand Lodge in Chicago, Ill. has urged local lodges to direct charitable efforts to local causes such as food banks or those impacted by COVID-19.
Gallup Elks Lodge #1440 is a subordinate lodge of The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, one of 23 in New Mexico.
“Donations such as this really help us. We can’t take our regular donations of plastic bags, such as that,” Perez explained. “Everything that we use has to be brand new because we’re putting food in it.
“This is going to help us purchase some much-needed equipment for the garden, because our volunteer base is down by 98 percent,” Perez said.
Another way the pantry covers expenses is by acting as a farmers’ market destination five days a week, selling to the community Monday through Friday, to help maintain the garden.
By Beth Blakeman
Associate Editor
