Making the Most of What You Get at the Food Pantry
More and more pantries offer fresh vegetables and fruits. A challenge sometimes is making it last when it gets to your kitchen. Following are a few tips to help keep the food better. Even though it’s only going to be around for a day or two before you eat it, you want it to look its best, taste its best, and have the most nutrients possible.
FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Store LETTUCE, SALAD GREENS, and MUSHROOMS in a refrigerator on the middle or lower shelf away from fans because these items freeze quickly.
CUCUMBERS suffer from chill damage. You’ll have better luck with them if you store them on an upper shelf or on the door of the refrigerator.
CITRUS FRUITS release ethylene gas so it’s best to separate CITRUS FRUITS, MELONS AND APPLES away from delicate foods such as LETTUCE.
Some fruits and vegetables should not be refrigerated: BANANAS, GRAPEFRUITS, LEMONS, LIMES, MANGOES, MELONS, ORANGES, PAPAYAS, POTATOES, ONIONS, TOMATOES, AND AVOCADOS all do better when stored on a counter top.
Ripening some fruits on a counter top is best: AVOCADOS, KIWI FRUIT, NECTARINES, PEACHES, PEARS, AND PLUMS. After these foods are ripe, you may choose to put them in the refrigerator.
Fruits to store in the refrigerator include: APPLES, APRICOTS, BLACKBERRIES, BLUEBERRIES, CHERRIES, CUT FRUITS, FIGS, GRAPES, ASIAN PEARS, RASPBERRIES, STRAWBERRIES
Vegetables to store in the refrigerator include: ASPARAGUS, GREEN BEANS, LIMA BEANS, BEETS, BROCCOLI, BRUSSELS SPROUTS, CABBAGE, CARROTS, CAULIFLOWER, CELERY, COLLARD GREENS, CUT VEGETABLES, ESCAROLE, GREENS, GREEN ONIONS, LEAFY VEGETABLES, LEEKS, LETTUCE, MUSHROOMS, PEAS, RADISHES, SPINACH, SUMMER SQUASHES, AND SWEET CORN.
POULTRY
When working with poultry, the wrapping should be completely unbroken with no punctures.
Raw poultry should have a fresh smell with no odor. It should be firm to the touch. It should not be sticky. There should be no discoloration. The internal temperature of raw poultry should be lower than 40F degrees.
Poultry should be stored separately from all other foods. It should be kept on the lowest shelf in the refrigerator to prevent contamination from dripping.
Anything that comes in contact with poultry or its juices should be cleaned and sanitized immediately.
Frozen poultry should have no soft spots.
Partially thawed poultry should be used immediately.
Poultry cannot be kept at room temperature for more than two hours.
Wash hands immediately after handling poultry.
MILK
Milk stays fresh up to six days past the sell-by date. Frozen milk can be stored longer.
If milk sours, use it in a baking recipe calling for buttermilk.
Sour milk is not unsafe to drink.
CULTURED PRODUCTS
COTTAGE CHEESE, YOGURT, SOUR CREAM, AND CREAM CHEESE are considered to be cultured products with a longer shelf life than milk. If the container is open, cultured products can be used up to six weeks past the sell-by date.
http://www.allianceforpositivehealth.org
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Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
Prayer for the Hungry – Number 3
I stand before you humbly, O Holy One, the One God of Israel as I offer a prayer for the hungry .
I offer thanksgiving, praises, blessings in this prayer for the hungry.
I ask for your forgiveness and mercy, O God. All life is in Your hands.
I come to you humbly, asking for protection – not for myself but for those hungry individuals and families who shop in food pantries everywhere. This hunger weaves the souls of these shoppers together for all time.
Grant them hope and strength to travel through their days courageously.
O Holy One, give them grace, mercy, harmony, peace.
Teach those of us working in pantries to have patience as we support the hungry in their struggle to carry on day after day after day against all odds.
Please let us remember that, through religious teaching everywhere, we know You feed all of us – not only physically but spiritually. Let this awareness give the hungry confidence that their needs are being met. Let this knowledge inspire us to make sure that everyone shopping at pantries everywhere receives the food and support necessary to carry on in the never relenting struggle. Remind us continually that we are doing Your work.
Help us choose the right words as we communicate with the hungry so that a chance remark won’t make things worse.
Make us always aware of the hungry who are homeless and suffering with mental illness. May you grant them complete healing – of body, mind, and spirit.
O God to Whom we all Pray, I offer you my most sincere gratitude for all you have don, are doing, and will do for those of us who suffer with hunger and homelessness.
And, now I say Amen.
Prayer for the Hungry – Number 2
O Heavenly Father
I offer You gratitude for all Your blessings and love which You continually share with parents struggling with underemployment, poor health, insufficient food, transportation challenges.
I ask You, the source of all living things, to protect and guard parents who shop at the pantry.
Help them listen to their children’s needs as they struggle to live a life with insufficient resources… time, money, housing, health care.
Offer the peace which can only come when they know that You are a part of their lives every day.
O Heavenly Father, help them overcome their greatest fear – hunger.
Guide their lives so that no one in their household is hungry.
Encourage them to see the positive aspects of their lives.
Teach them to co-create abundance
Give them the courage to reach out when their needs are overwhelming.
Let them know that they can be secure in their paths.
Teach them to travel through their lives with grace.
Offer them the wisdom they need to hear Your guidance.
When, if…they question the struggle, please let them know You are with them always.
Please, gently touch their lives with your healing hands when health issues become almost too much to bear.
I ask these things in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Thank you for reading this blog dedicated to food pantries.
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Thurman Greco
Woodstock, NY
Art Work donated by Jennette Nearhood
Prayer for the Hungry – Number 1
O GOD
Allow me to serve the hungry with an understanding heart.
Give me the courage to distribute food without strings being attached.
May I never need to keep score.
Give me the physical strength to keep the shelves of the pantry stocked with as much food as we can pack on them.
Please help me to understand the many needs of the shoppers.
Never let me get so tired that I forget that we are all one group – Yours, O God.
You can help
Your support is crucial to food pantries. Food pantry volunteers everywhere are committed to feeding the hungry with dignity and awareness. People working in pantries know of the connection and kinship to every person who needs food.
When you help your local pantry, you not only strengthen your community, but offer some peace and harmony for those caught in a seemingly never ending struggle.
When you support a food pantry you help the volunteers in their work to feed the hungry. No pantry can succeed without you! Here are some opportunities for participation:
SEND A PANTRY A FINANCIAL GIFT.
Pantries everywhere need $$$ to keep going. Your contributions are tax deductible. Think of a food pantry the next time you prepare your taxes.
CONSIDER A PERIODIC DONATION.
It’s easy to set up a monthly or quarterly donation in whatever amount you choose on Paypal if your pantry of choice is signed up. If you prefer to send a check, let the pantry treasurer know so you can get some self addressed envelopes to make the job easier. Regular donations offer a financial flow coming to the pantry. This is, really, the easiest way to offer your support.
PAY A SPECIFIC BILL FOR THE PANTRY.
One of the biggest ongoing expenses a pantry has is gasoline for pantry vehicles. You can help in this effort when you buy a gas card for the pantry. The volunteers will be appreciate your generosity.
GIVE A DONATION TO HONOR A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER.
Often, when you give a contribution as a gift to a friend or loved one, the pantry will send a personalized card to the recipient acknowledging your gift. Include the name and address of the honoree, along with your tax deductible donation so the volunteer can do this.
SHARE THIS LETTER WITH EVERYONE ON YOUR EMAIL LIST.
Please forward this post to everyone you know.
PRAYERS, LOVING SUPPORT, AND KIND THOUGHTS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME.
Thank you for supporting your local food pantry. You are important. I send blessings your way. Pantries do not work in a vacuum. They simply cannot succeed without your help.
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Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
The Monks are Going, Going, Gone
They came in quietly, unannounced, a couple of years ago on the 10:05 Trailways bus from Boston. Eighteen monks in all. They were transferred out of a lovely monastery in Brookline, Massachusetts, these priests who traditionally never move at all.
They left quietly these last few weeks, unannounced. They’re moving to a brand new monastery north of Albany. Funny how these things happen. I get the feeling that God is grinning from ear to ear.
We met them because, when they showed up in Woodstock they were temporarily hungry. The story was slow to surface and I wrote about it earlier in this blog and on the Good Morning Woodstock Blog . They shopped at the Good Neighbor Food Pantry until they got their budget straightened out. Once we found them, Peggy made sure they didn’t lack for anything if the pantry had anything to do with it.
In a very short time, weeks, they were delivering food to the home bound on Tuesday mornings with the other pantry volunteers. They filled out an application to be a food pantry with the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley. And, finally, they were attending our mass distributions.
Within a few short months they had their own food pantry going and were serving food to the hungry seven days a week.
Without saying a word, these men of the cloth showed us all how to feed the hungry. They didn’t skimp. They made as many food runs to Albany as they needed. They offered whatever food they had to anyone who needed it.
Then, when I went out and helped open the Reservoir Food Pantry, they made sure we never lacked for yogurt. Every time the pantry opened we had a freezer filled for our hungry.
I mean, these priests showed us all how to feed the hungry. They didn’t offer a three-day-supply of food to someone with the understanding that it needed to last seven days. They didn’t spend a lot of time focusing on questions about where people lived. It didn’t matter whether a person was homeless or not.
When the hungry pulled away from the Holy Assumption Monastery Food Pantry, they had enough food to not only feed the body but the soul.
So now, the priests, who traditionally never leave a monastery and move to another monastery, are packing up their gorgeous beeswax candle factory, their Food Bank ID number, and moving off to a community which really needs their skills, their dedication, their belief system.
Frankly, I was devastated when I heard the news. I went out to visit and write the story. I couldn’t do it.
I sat, visited, and kept asking myself “How can this happen?” The answer is easy, folks. They are being asked to take their skills and expertise to Schoharie County where no one is going to question the ethics of feeding the hungry.
And, I take comfort in the fact that we have not been abandoned in Woodstock. We have been taught our lesson. So…now the monastery is being converted into a convent.
These gorgeous men of God are taking their smiles, their radiant halos, their worship, and their food pantry skills to Cobbleskill, New York and they will press on with their daily lives.
The good nuns will have a pantry in Bearsville for our hungry. I understand they’ve already got their own Food Bank ID number. God is making sure we don’t forget what we learned.
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Thurman Greco
How to Successfully Shop at a Food Pantry
At a time when people are busy wrapping gifts and planning festivities, some are struggling just to pay the rent and buy gas to get to work. Hungry is not a category of people. It’s a situation that happens. It can happen to anyone. December is especially hard on those visiting a food pantry for the first time. It’s the reason I write this guide
Leave fear, embarrassment, shame, tears at the door. Most people using pantries are finally in a place where they can rebuild and heal. When the struggle for food is relieved, life finally feels as if it’s getting better. For many, the pantry is a safe place. This is a good group to join.
Arrive a hour before the pantry opens This makes for a long wait but there’s a better selection right at the beginning. Use this time to network with your line neighbors. They can be a resource if you’re trying to navigate your way through Department of Social Services, being foreclosed upon, get your car repaired.
Learn how long you’ll be in the shopping room, what foods are usually found on the shelves, whether you get to choose the food or receive a bag of groceries, what other pantries people shop at.
Bring some ID. Some pantries require much: photo ID, proof of residence, proof that other family members exist.
Once you’re registered, shop every time you’re allowed. With luck, you’ll find a pantry offering weekly visits. People sometimes just don’t go if they still have any SNAP card (food stamp) money or if they have a few bucks left over from a paycheck. Pantries have different food every week and you may miss out on some real savings by not shopping often.
Some pantries have periodic visits from nutritionists offering recipes and food tastings. Don’t be shy. Ask for information you need to adjust to the new way of cooking offered by pantries where food choices are different from the super market. If you’re suddenly cooking with only a crock pot or microwave, the nutritionist can be a valuable resource.
You may see fresh fruits and vegetables you don’t recognize. At each pantry visit, take home one new food, find a recipe and prepare it. If you do this, your cooking skills will be vastly improved over time.
Volunteer. Giving away food and sharing smiles with those around you offers its own spirituality. You’ll interact with people you never thought in your wildest dreams you would ever even meet. Pantry shoppers are traveling down a path away from hunger. Go with this journey which opens the door to inner growth.
Stick with this new routine. It’s the 21st century way to get delicious, nutritious groceries for your household. It’s been years since pantries offered exclusively emergency food.
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Peace and food for all..
Thurman Greco
Connect – 8 Ways to Help the Homeless
“Homeless is not a category of people. It’s just a situation that happens. It can happen to anyone.” – Salvador Altamirano-Segura
The homeless have problems just like you and me:
employment
health issues
disabilities
domestic violence
veterans
THEY JUST DON’T HAVE A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS.
Homeless people, families enter food pantries very quietly. They’ve lost their voices. The goal is to melt into the background, get food, and disappear.
There is an exception to the voicelessness when the person communicates with beings unknown to the rest of us in tongues we don’t understand. One shopper I know has been in another world since before I began working in the pantry in 2005.
We can all help the homeless in some way. Each of us has talents and skills which can be useful.
1. DONATE. Homeless people carry their kitchens in their pockets so a lot of food which we take for granted and use is just not helpful. Important in the homeless diet is:
peanut butter and crackers
cereal in small packages
fruits and vegetables which can be eaten raw
milk in small containers.
Give throughout the year by regularly donating to a food pantry in your area which is most homeless friendly.
2. VOLUNTEER. Pantries everywhere need an extra set of hands to:
Answer mail
Drive a truck
Serve food
Clean up at closing time
Send press releases
Hold food drives
Straighten shelves
Deliver food to the home bound
3. CLEAN OUT YOUR CLOSETS. Donate clothing, bedding, books, in good condition to places where the homeless will have access to your gently used items.
4. SHARE. Do you or does someone you know have a garden? Donate the excess to a homeless friendly pantry or soup kitchen in your area. When your garden tomatoes get to be too plentiful, there are those in your area who need the food. Donate, don’t dump.
5. PUSH THE ENVELOPE. Contact elected officials about homeless issues in your area. Encourage them to make ending homelessness important in your community.
6. EDUCATE YOURSELF. Returning veterans have special needs. For one thing, they often begin their separation from the military homeless.
7. FIND A JOB. Encourage your church or community to hire a homeless person. Many homeless want to work, have skills, but have trouble finding regular employment.
8. TEACH. Do you have a skill to share? Contact a local shelter and offer to give classes.
Thank you for reading this blog/book.
The stories are true. The people are real.
Please share this article with your preferred social media network. And send it to anyone you know who might be interested.
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Artwork for this article was donated by Jennette Nearhood
Thurman Greco
5 Important Things You Need to Know About SNAP
“Hunger and income inequality is probably the single biggest issue facing this country.” – Susan Zimet
When you use SNAP, you don’t just get much needed food for your household. When you use SNAP, you create a ripple effect of money for your community. You can use your SNAP card with pride knowing how your purchases will benefit your area.
Here’s how it works: SNAP is federal money. When you use your SNAP card at a local supermarket, you bring it into your community. The grocer uses the money to benefit the local grocery store. This purchase strengthens local businesses.
Are you in a household with senior/disabled members? If so, you may still qualify for SNAP even if you have a higher income. SNAP works for individuals, couples, and families.
Are you paying mandated child support? If so, this money you use to pay child support is not counted toward your income.
You can work and still qualify for SNAP, stretching your food budget every month. When you use SNAP, you more easily afford the nutritious foods you and your family need.
You can shop at a food pantry and still qualify for SNAP.
SNAP can be an important addition to you and your household budget. Apply for this benefit today to help yourself, your household, and your community. How cool is that?
Thanks for reading this blog.
The story is true. The people are real.
Don’t forget to join the email list.
Please refer this article to your preferred social media network and to anyone you know you may benefit from SNAP but is not using it.
Thurman Greco
My Story and the 9 Truths I Discovered
I began my life changing journey fighting hunger on a cool autumn Thursday in Woodstock, New York in 2005 where I volunteered for the first time at the local food pantry.
I was assigned a shift with Marie Duane. I drove over to the Woodstock Reformed Church, parked my car behind the buildling and cautiously walked in. I had never been to the pantry before.
I entered the empty hallway and found the pantry on the right. I walked into the room and there it was: a small space, actually, about 12′ by 16′. Each wall supported a set of metal shelving units. Each unit stood about 6′ high and 3′ deep with 4 shelves. Most of the shelves were empty. A few shelves had some food:
cereal
tuna
soup
peanut butter.
There was a little handwritten note in front of each display:
person: 1 item, family: 1 item.
There may have been other items on shelves but I don’t remember them.
A small table stood in the center of the room. A metal folding chair was placed in front of each window.
We sat in the chairs, Marie and I, and chatted as people trickled in. We discussed the usual: weather, gardening, knitting, decorating the alter at St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church.
“Hi. How are you? Will you please sign your name here?” Each shopper signed in and noted the number of adults, seniors, and children in the household. After signing in, the person walked around the room selecting from the cereal, peanut butter, tuna, and soup. The selected food was placed on the table and bagged to take home, wherever or whatever that was.
On this morning, not blessed with any psychic knowledge, I was totally unaware of experiences waiting for me in the pantry. Never in my wildest thoughts did I envision the hall filled with hungry people, the tiny room packed with fresh produce and jammed with shoppers.
Nor did I for 1 moment ponder the push back I would experience as the number of hungry seeking food grew. Within a few short years, this 2 dozen single homeless men – mostly Woodstock’s colorful characters – had swelled (due to a tanking economy) to over 300 people weekly. This number finally approached 500 people weekly before it was all over.
Now, in the autumn of 2015, our stock market experiences numerous “corrections”. I realize I learned some things over the years which, for me, are ground truths about the pantry.
Feeding the hungry with dignity is the most important thing.
Single homeless men are now far outnumbered by members of the Struggling Class, households of working people holding down 2 and 3 jobs just to pay the rent and buy the gas to get to work.
The 3 most hot button words in the English language are food, sex, and money. These 3 words are concerned with a person’s core beliefs, emotions, and spiritual attitudes. Food and money, or the lack thereof, loom large in pantries.
The sidewalks in our communities and cities have become wards of untreated mentally ill people. In our great nation we don’t hospitalize or otherwise treat many of our mentally ill. Instead, they they are incarcerated.
Some of these untreated mentally ill happen to be homeless. Homeless is not a category of people. It’s just a situation that happens. It can happen to anyone.
The 50+ senior population has many who lack enough $$$ for food and are largely a silent group. The bottom line is this: When our grandparents don’t get enough to eat, they often get sick.
I’m seeing a whole generation of children who have never been inside a grocery store.
Shoppers at our pantry can get a 3-day supply of food weekly. Their job is to make it last 7 days. Many share this food with a pet. Often, the only thing a person has left from a prosperous past is the dog.
The most difficult thing I see in the pantry is a Korean War vet getting food. Something I just can’t understand is how a person who served in a very brutal war, and subsequently spent an adult life working and paying taxes should have to be in a food pantry line in his old age.
Much of the food available to the hungry in food pantries is diverted from its trip to the landfill.
There is absolutely no excuse for anyone in our great nation to go hungry.
Thank you for reading this blog. The story is true. The people are real.
Please refer this article to your preferred social media network. Share this story with friends or relatives who might be interested.
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Thurman Greco
