As thoughts are turning to holiday gatherings, nearly all involving food, many in the community will be in need of assistance to provide the basic food for their families.
Wayne currently has three different food pantries and each works to provide for those they serve. A Food Pantry exists at First Presbyterian Church, a Mobile Food
Bank comes to Wayne once a month and a Food Pantry is located at Wayne State College.
The Wayne Food Pantry, located at First Presbyterian Church, is an ecumenical organization dedicated to serving the residents of Wayne County, who are in need.
The Wayne Food Pantry was started nearly 30 years ago by concerned members of St. Mary’s Catholic Church of Wayne and the First Presbyterian Church. The Food Pantry enjoys close relationships with area organizations, schools, businesses, and churches.
Anyone who needs help with food. is asked to contact the church office at (402) 375-2669, or by e-mail at fpcwayne@gmail.com. The Food Pantry is open Tuesday – Friday from 9 – noon. All inquiries are confidential.
Who is eligible to be served?
• You must be a Wayne County resident.
• You must have a photo ID.
• You will need to provide us with basic information for record keeping (name, address, etc.)
• You may receive food up to three times per year.
Donated non-perishable items may be dropped off at the church building: 216 West Third Street – Wayne. In addition to the church, non-perishable donations may be made at either Pac N Save Grocery or Quality Food Grocery in Wayne.
Monetary donations are used to give families fresh food, in addition to the non-perishable goods from the facility. Checks may be made payable to the “Wayne Food Pantry,” and sent to the church’s office.
For more information, contact the First Presbyterian Church, 216 West Third Street, (402)375-2669; fpcwayne@gmail.com or on Facebook: Wayne Food Pantry – Wayne, Nebraska.
The Office of Residence Life oversees the Wayne State College food pantry. The Pantry is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and is located in the basement of Morey Hall. Monetary donations may be made to The Pantry via Sue Jammer in the Wayne State Foundation Office, Hahn Administration Building, 1111 Main Street, Wayne, Neb. 68787. Food donations can be delivered to The Office of Residence Life located in Kanter Student Center, Room 201.
The Pantry is open to all current WSC students. In order to participate, organizers ask that students complete an intake form and then The Pantry provides a membership number to members.
If students are unable to pick up items at The Pantry, they can contact the Office of Residence Life to make arrangements.
"We like to offer produce once a month for students to grab from The Pantry," said Quinneka Lee, who oversees The Pantry at WSC.
Among the items The Pantry needs are:
• Kid friendly items
• Toiletries
• Sauces and condiments
•Produce
• Easy to go items.
The Mobile Food Pantry that comes to Wayne once a month is the Food Bank of the Heartland from Omaha. Organizers of the event are responsible for paying for the shipping of the food.
This program was started in 1981 and has been coming to Wayne for approximately four years.
"Originally the Mobile Food Bank came to First United Methodist Church, but in recent months, several of the churches in town have hosted it," said George Burcum, a member of First United Methodist Church and a member of the core group of volunteers responsible for organizing each month's food give-away. If none of the churches are available, the Food Bank will be located at the Wayne City Auditorium.
The Mobile Food Bank generally comes to Wayne on the last Saturday of the month; however the date for the December event will be Saturday, Dec. 10.
Food is distributed between 10 and 11:30 a.m. on each visit, although those wishing to receive food arrive earlier to sign in.
"After everyone has signed in, the volunteers helping distribute the food look at the food that is available and divide it by the number of families who have signed in to determine how much food each can recieve," Burcum said.
He said there are no residency or income restrictions on those receiving food. Instead he said the food bank serves all those who come.
"The people who receive our help are people in need," he said.
Although the numbers vary from month to month, an average of 90 clients are served with each Food Bank.
The Mobile Food Bank provides a variety of food items to its clients, including canned goods, rice, beans, macaroni & cheese, spaghetti and spaghetti sauce, fresh fruit, potatoes, bread and desserts.
"We receive a fairly well-rounded delivery each month," Burcum said.
While Burcum works with a core group of volunteers from several of the churches in Wayne, he said each month others assist with the event. These include athletic groups from Wayne State College, youth groups from the churches and the college and 4-H clubs.
"Every month it all seems to work out," he said.
Anyone with questions about the Mobile Food Bank is asked to contact the First United Methodist Church at (402) 375-2231.
