Bread of life
Food pantries will conduct food drives around Gallup and Grants

A jar for donations sits on the counter Wednesday while Larry MacKendrick runs the computer at the Grants Community Pantry. [Photo by Jeff Jones/Independent]

By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

Grants Community Pantry volunteer JoAnn Edwards organizes boxes of food Wednesday in preparation for pick-up by needy community members [Photo by Jeff Jones/Independent]

The Food Pantries in Gallup and Grants are conducting food drives to replenish shelves which are getting low — and in some cases empty — to be able to provide food for the hungry.

The Gallup Community Pantry will have volunteers from several organizations going house to house seeking donations this Saturday in Gallup, said Jim Harland, executive director of the community pantry in Gallup.

Students from Cathedral High School and the Key Club honor society students will be participating in the food drive, he said.

The volunteers will be seeking donations of canned goods and nonperishables such as Hamburger Helper, he said.

The Saturday drive will be from 9 a.m. To 2 p.m., and will encompass the entire city, Harland said.

There is a need to feed people who are hungry, who do not have enough to help them make it through the month, he said.

Harland said the Gallup pantry has 3,500 families registered with it and serves 1,500 families per week, “The need is there,” he said.

The pantry will also accept cash donations, which allows it to purchase those items that are not donated, such as canned meats.

The pantry is at 1130 E. Hasler Valley Road and is on from 9 a.m. to 4:40 p.m., Monday through Thursday of each week. On Fridays, the pantry is open from noon to 4:30 p.m.

To make a donation or inquire how to help, call Harland at (505) 722-1406.

In Grants, the Food Pantry is doing a food drive through Nov. 18.

Churches are gathering donations from, their members but no door to door solicitation is taking place.

Anyone who is interested in donating canned items, such as vegetables, fruits, canned sardines, Vienna sausages, roast beef, chicken, tuna or Spam, may drop them off at the pantry at 222 E. Stephens St., or at special food boxes at the Grants-Cibola County Chamber of Commerce or Smith’s Grocery Store.

The pantry’s hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. Members of local churches provide the manpower to serve those in need, said Reuben Thomas, of the First United Methodist Church.

He said the pantry serves about 400 families each week and there are 1,700 families registered with the pantry.

“We only serve Cibola County,” he said.

“Can You Share the Blessings,” is the pantry’s title for the current food drive.

“We have all been blessed in our lives and we can share our blessings with others by donating a can or cans of food to the pantry,” Thomas said.

The pantry needs canned goods, such as vegetables, fruit and especially meats. Canned meats such as tuna or Spam can really help a family with children, he said.

All donations, including cash, to both pantries are tax deductible, Thomas said.

“Spaghetti and meatballs, chili with beans or beef stew are excellent donations for the pantries,” he said.

A lot of the families registered with both pantries have children to food and a donation of a meat item will help dramatically.

“And, we certainly do take cash donations,” he said.

To contact Thomas call (505) 876-2220.

To contact reporter Jim Tiffin call (505) 287-2197 or e-mail:
jtiffin.independent@yahoo.com.