09/01/2026
We often share photos of our pantry with beautiful, full shelves stocked with food and fresh produce, but unfortunately, that is not always the reality. The photo we’re sharing today was taken a few weeks ago and shows another side of what running a food pantry can look like. Last month, we struggled to keep some of our shelves stocked, especially our canned fruit and vegetable shelves. At one point, these shelves became so bare that we had to send a volunteer out to purchase canned goods just so we could make sure we had items available when we opened our doors to our families. We have never had to make an urgent grocery run like that before. This came after July, which was the busiest month our food pantry has experienced since we opened our doors.
But we don't share this to be all doom and gloom! We are hopeful, and we are confident that no matter what comes our way, we will continue to be here for our community. In order to do that well and keep our shelves as full as possible, we need the continued support of the amazing community around us.
Today, September 1st, marks the beginning of Hunger Action Month, and there are so many ways you can take action with us!
Make a monetary donation! Every dollar can make a BIG difference! We completely understand that there is something special about picking out and donating physical items. You know exactly what you’re giving and can picture that item going directly onto our shelves for a family to take home. We LOVE receiving those donations! But monetary donations also give us the opportunity to make your generosity go even further. One of the ways we’ve learned to keep up with the growing need is by taking advantage of our purchasing power through our food bank and bulk purchasing opportunities. This allows us to stretch each dollar and purchase larger quantities of the items we need most. For example, we recently had the opportunity to purchase mixed fruit cans for just 18¢ each, meaning a $20 donation could help us purchase more than 100 cans of fruit! Make a donation by visiting: https://theoutreachconnection.org/donate-now
Donate food or hygiene items! Prefer to pick something out yourself? We LOVE receiving physical donations, too! Canned fruits, vegetables, beans, tomato products, and other shelf-stable foods can make an immediate difference. Hygiene essentials are always greatly appreciated as well!
NO donation is too small!
And if you’ve seen some of our most recent posts, you may have noticed that our shelves are looking much fuller right now! We are incredibly grateful for the donations and support that helped us get them there. But that doesn’t mean we don’t still need donations! We have storage space where additional donations are kept and used to replenish our pantry as items leave the shelves. Keeping food in reserve helps us stay ahead and, hopefully, avoid those empty shelves in the future.
This Hunger Action Month, we hope you’ll join us in filling these shelves and keeping them filled! We know we can continue meeting the growing need together ❤️
