How can I get on board with Food To You?

Thanks for your interest in volunteering with Food to You! Please see below for more information on Volunteering at a Food to You distribution, our "Food of the Month" program, and assembling Hygiene Packs.

Volunteering at a Weekly Distribution

VOLUNTEER GROUPS from organizations, churches, and businesses, or family and friends are needed to sponsor and provide workers for each weekly food distribution.  Volunteers come early on the Thursday they are scheduled to help to be trained by the Food To You Coordinator, set up the area, unload and arrange items, and interact with clients as they conduct the distribution. Here is what is needed from each group:

    • About 18 - 22 able-bodied volunteers, including some who are able to lift and carry boxes, are to arrive at the site by 5:15pm at the latest. Volunteers can be all ages. Elementary aged children can work alongside an adult, middle school students need adult supervision.
    • Four or five of the volunteers who can help with truck unloading and staging of supplies are to be at the site by 4:15pm at the latest. The distribution takes place from 6:00- 7:00pm with volunteers able to leave by 8:00pm.
    • A donation of $350 from the volunteer group sponsoring each week’s distribution is suggested to cover the expense of the food purchased from the SD Food Bank as well as the cost of the Food Bank truck and driver for that evening.
    • A donation of a particular food item chosen by Food To You is requested for the distribution the group serves. Groups will be asked to collect and bring a large number of a single assigned item.

Items that will be distributed during the upcoming months are shown in right hand column on this page and in the lower right column of this site's home page.

 

Food Item of the Month

Any individual or group is welcome to collect and donate the Food of the Month. These items need to be brought to East Side Lutheran Church or to the distribution site if prearranged with the Coordinator.  The month listed is the month the food will be distributed so it is best to collect items in advance of the month they are needed.  Watch the website for upcoming Food of the Month items and contact the Coordinator with questions.

JAN - Macaroni & Cheese

FEB - Pasta

MAR - Hearty Soup

APR - Cereal

MAY - Peanut Butter

JUN - Tuna / Tuna Helper

JUL - Macaroni & Cheese

AUG - Pasta

SEP - Hearty Soup

OCT - Cereal

NOV - Peanut Butter

DEC - Tuna / Tuna Helper

 

Hygiene Packs

Collect and assemble Hygiene Packs Food to You to offer to the clients at the weekly distributions. A Hygiene Pack is to be made up in this way:

  • One large roll of toilet paper
  • One bar of soap, and
  • One bottle of shampoo OR one large tube of toothpaste OR one stick of deodorant.

Place the items in a clear gallon plastic bag and fasten securely with either a twist tie or ziplock.

Please contact the Coordinator with questions before donating loose items leftover from making the packs. In order to be fair to all clients we cannot accept packs made with different items. (PS: Make sure you use really large rolls of toilet paper!)

You can drop off Hygiene Packs during regular office hours at East Side Lutheran Church, 1300 East 10th Street. Please leave a note indicating the name of the donor and how many packs were given. Those who will receive the packs say, Thank you!.

 

Also needed at any time are...

donations of large rolls of TOILET PAPER. When it is not possible to hand out full hygiene packs to Food To You guests, a few rolls of toilet paper are given according to their household size.

Please contact the coordinator prior to making a delivery of either hygiene packs or toilet paper to find out where and when to drop off items.

Thanks to all who help provide these much-needed items for the Food To You guests. (None of these items are purchasable with food stamps/EBT cards.)

ESL= Eastside Lutheran
MNH= Messiah New Hope
AUG= Augustana Lutheran
STJ= St. Johns Lutheran
FLC= First Lutheran Church
1Pres=First Presbyterian Church

Date Site Volunteer Group
1/2/20 ESL Harvey Dunn Elementary
1/9/20 MNH Messiah New Hope
1/16/20 ALC Peace Lutheran
1/23/20 SJL Sammon's Financial
1/30/20 no distribution
2/6/20 ESL Gloria Dei
2/13/20 MNH Grace Lutheran
2/20/20 ALC Holy Cross
2/27/20 SJL St John American
3/5/20 ESL East Side Lutheran
3/12/20 MNH SF Morning Optimists
3/19/20 ALC Spirit of Joy
3/26/20 SJL Holy Cross Lutheran
4/2/20 ESL Women in Law
4/7/20 MNH West Nideros/Benton/Willow Creek
4/16/20 ALC West Side Lutheran
4/23/20 SJL Peace Lutheran
5/7/20 ESL Trinity Lutheran, Tea
5/14/20 MNH First Lutheran
5/21/20 ALC Augustana Lutheran
5/28/20 SJL Our Savior's Lutheran
6/4/20 ESL C.N.A. Surety
6/11/20 MNH Grace Lutheran
6/18/20 ALC Rotary South
6/25/20 SJL Renner Lutheran
7/2/20 ESL OPEN
7/9/20 MNH Messiah New Hope
7/16/20 ALC Westside Lutheran
7/23/20 SJL Spirit of Joy
7/30/20 n/a No distribution
8/6/20 ESL Westminster Presbyterian
8/13/20 MNH OPEN
8/20/20 ALC OSLC
8/27/20 SJL St. John's Lutheran
9/3/20 ESL POET
9/10/20 MNH Gloria Dei
9/17/20 ALC Capital Services
9/24/20 SJL Holy Cross Lutheran
10/1/20 ESL East Side Lutheran
10/8/20 MNH Spirit of Joy
10/15/20 ALC St. Mark’s
10/22/20 1Pres Westminster Presbyterian
10/29/20 n/a No distribution
11/5/20 ESL Peace Lutheran
11/12/20 MNH First Lutheran
11/19/20 ALC Renner Lutheran
11/24/20 FLC Westside Lutheran
12/3/20 ESL Zion Lutheran
12/10/20 MNH USD Nursing Students
12/17/20 ALC OPEN
12/22/20 FLC First Congregational
12/30/20 n/a No distribution