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Soup kitchen, food baskets among Community Outreach efforts
Nevada Daily Mail
Community Outreach, churches and community organizations are providing help for a busy holiday season.
A soup kitchen is among the many services available through Community Outreach.
According to www.thenevadafoodpantry.com, this new program, which opened in June, is "designed to help feed our homeless and struggling families in Vernon County.
"The homeless may eat at the kitchen and then receive a bag for dinner. Food stamps have been drastically cut so the kitchen is available to residents to help them spread their food stamps."
The Kitchen is open 12 to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday at 225 N. Cedar.
Laura and Gary Johnson and Alice Boehs are responsible for this effort.
Realizing the need, they even decided to open the soup kitchen on Thanksgiving, and "had a wonderful day," noted Community Outreach Executive Director Barbara Long.
But the Thanksgiving efforts didn't stop there.
The organization put together a number of food baskets this year.
In the past, Community Outreach had hosted a dinner for area residents under the leadership of former Nevada School Superintendent Dr. David Stephens.
"Dr. Stevens headed this up for us for several years but this year, we realized that there was a greater need for home food so we decided to do the baskets," said Long.
A number of members of the Nevada High School volleyball team, along with their parents, "played a large role in our efforts, and we want to thank them," said Long.
Food to feed 30 families was collected and the baskets were prepared for needy families in Vernon County.
Long noted other community efforts included there were over 100 baskets prepared at First Christian Church, 15 baskets done at Rinehart Christian Church, and a Thanksgiving meal prepared at the American Legion.
The next major initiative for Community Outreach is trying to fill a void over the holiday break for those students who, during the school year, take part in the "Backpacks of Love" program.
The program provides a way for students in the Nevada School system to have something healthy to eat for the weekend.
Through the efforts of volunteers at several churches and coordinated by Community Outreach, the food program attempts to meet basic nutritional needs.
Counselors at the schools identify those students who would best be served by the program and the "backpacks" go out weekly.
With the holiday break, needy families find it hard to feed their children while home from school, said Long.
To fill that need, Long said these children will be invited to the soup kitchen.
That will mean that Community Outreach will need extra food.
Especially needed are large cans of corn, green beans, and white beans, she said.
"Meat is always appreciated."
To donate food or cash, contact Long at Community Outreach at 667-4339.