Participation is easy also. Our regular meetings are held the first Monday of the month at the Hyde Park United Methodist Church, at the northeast corner or Speedway and 40th Street. Meetings are held from 7:00pm until 8:30pm. Join us!
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M ost of us in zip code 78751 have many material blessings. However, in this time of layoffs and a slow economy, some of our neighbors need help with basic food supplies. Meeting the needs of families residing in 78751 is the mission of Hope Food Pantry, housed in Trinity United Methodist Church at 600 E. 50th Street. Each Wednesday and Thursday mornings from 10-11:45, Hope serves 18 families, feeding over 1,500 people in 2002. In cooperation with Capitol Area Food Bank, Hope provides food to qualified families in 78751 and 8 other area zip codes. The basic foods provided included frozen and canned meat, canned and fresh vegetables and fruits, juices, cereals, peanut butter, rice, beans, pasta and bread. When available, the pantry offers "extras": personal care items such as toilet paper, soap, diapers and shampoo, and cleaning supplies.
"We are always in need of nonperishable food and cash donations. The more food we have, the more families we can serve," says food pantry co-director Mary Lett. "Our clients have suffered illness, family tragedy, unemployment, and the need seems to grow each month. "
In addition to funding from Trinity United Methodist Church, Hope relies on food and cash contributions from other churches and from scout troops and other community organizations. More donations are urgently needed to meet the growing local hunger problem. One hundred percent of the donations go directly to serve those in need.
The food pantry is a nonprofit organization and is all-volunteer staffed. Members of the Trinity church family work side by side with other community members at Hope. Among those volunteers are some of your Hyde Park neighbors.
If you are interested in donating to or volunteering at Hope, contact Catherine Moore at 453-0592 or chmoore@austin.rr.com or Mary Lett at the Food Pantry 420-0710). More information about the food pantry is available at www.tumc.org/hope/.
