Nearly 2,000 pounds of donated food – 1,960 pounds to be exact – is on its way to the shelves of the Jasper County Food Shelf thanks to the collective efforts of three area youth groups and generous community members.
Throughout the month of January, the youth groups of Sully Community Church, Sully Christian Reformed Church, and Sully First Reformed Church have collected canned goods and non-perishable food items as part of their service-minded mission to support those in need.
Church members were given brown paper grocery bags at the start of the new year along with a list of food items most needed by the Jasper County Food Shelf. If they chose to donate, they were asked to bring their bags of groceries to a designated location within their church.
On Wednesday, Jan. 31, the efforts of the youth group members and generous church members culminated with the youth sorting, bagging, and boxing of the 1,960 pounds of food, as well as loading it into a trailer. Fifty-five area youth and youth leaders from the three local church youth groups gathered on Wednesday evening at Sully Community Church, this year’s host, for a time of camaraderie and to sort and load the donated goods.
“We all enjoyed coming together as a community of churches to support those in need,” said Melanie Van Maanen, a youth group leader at Sully Christian Reformed Church.
The donated food will soon be on the shelves of the Jasper County Food Shelf and later on the tables of those who could use a helping hand.
