Earlier in the week, the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce posted a picture (see below) of the shelves of the Island Food Pantry. These shelves are almost empty, and as you can guess, the need is at its greatest.
When we saw that picture, we as group knew we could help. The Island Food Pantry is a 100% volunteer organization. With that, there is limited manpower. There are drop off hours at the Island Food Pantry at what is referred to as the Stone Church in Vineyard Haven, but those hours are limited.
The Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce has offered to help the Island Food Pantry by being a drop off location. Since the hours are at the Chamber are Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and there’s parking, it makes it a lot easier for people to drop off non perishable food items.
Part Of The Solution
We felt that picture was a call to action. Point B Realty wants to do its part to help the Island Food Pantry. Our new real estate store is located at 19 Winter Street in Edgartown (Nevin Square), will also serve as a drop off location.
From Friday, February 3rd thru Friday, February 17th, people can bring their non-perishable Island Food Pantry donation to Point B. If you live in Edgartown, this makes it a lot easier. From a can or two of soup to an entire bag, we’re you’re spot to come.
It’s our hope that with us, the Chamber, and the purple Island Food Pantry boxes at both Stop & Shop locations, we as a community can stock those shelves. Also, we just learned that MV Insurance will also serve as a drop-off location at their offices in Oak Bluffs, Edgartown, and Vineyard Haven.
You can stop by Point B Monday – Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily, and we will happily collect the food donations for the Island Food Pantry.
We hope that having this location, conveniently located right in town, will make it easier for folks to do their part to fill those empty shelves of the Island Food Pantry.
Point B has been supporting the Island Food Pantry over the last couple of years by collecting unused food from our thousands of vacation renters each summer. People tend to have leftover items that they don’t want to bring back with them on the way home. Our rental customers have responded well with this pay-it-forward opportunity. Knowing that you can have those items go to Islanders in need feels good.
Also, coming off our Martha’s Vineyard Teddy Bear Suite fundraiser which raised $35,000 for the Martha’s Vineyard Boys & Girls Club’s Healthy Happy Kids, a new initiative to fight childhood hunger on the Island, we felt like we should continue the campaign against hunger and food insecurity.
The Island Food Pantry
Started in 1981 as an outreach program of the Christ United Methodist Church (the Stone Church in Vineyard Haven on Church Street), the Island Food Pantry is assisted by several other organizations, businesses, individual donors, and all faith communities.
Even the coordinator, Armen Hanjian, is a volunteer. He and about 70 other volunteers help make it all possible. Armen is always looking for extra help to grow the organization. The Island Food Pantry also picks up the non-pershible good donations which requires a lot of manpower.
The Island Food Pantry is a year-round organization, but is most active October through May. This is the time when more Islanders are out of work, and there are huge heating bills to worry about.
Every two weeks, people who are eligible for Food Pantry help, receive three bags of groceries from the Pantry. One is filled with basic items, one is filled with seasonal fruits and veggies (which the Island Food Pantry has to purchase weekly), and the third one is filled with miscellaneous items that the recipients can choose.
Also included is a $25 gift card to Stop and Shop. The Island Food Pantry also purchases these, which cost about $5,000 a month. Between the cards, and the need to buy fresh fruit and veggies, cash donations are imperative to the organization.
It’s easy to make a difference. If you want to do more than contribute non-pershiable goods, you can donate money or your time too. Contact Armen at (508) 693-4764.
The Mansion House in Vineyard Haven is offering up a great reward for doing good. I love that they’re offering a healthy incentive for giving to the Island Food Pantry.
Thanks for reading On Point. You can learn about The Island Food Pantry on its website. Don’t forget to “Like” Point B on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, Linked In, Google+, Pinterest and YouTube.