On Mondays, the pantry needs a lot of help. The pantry receives on average 16,000 pounds of food every Monday from the North Texas Food Bank (NTFB). So quite a few volunteers are needed to help stock the shelves with canned and dry goods, fill the refrigerators with eggs and milk, and conjure incredible ways to store the frozen proteins in the freezers.
In addition, on Mondays, the pantry makes 500 pantry bags. Each neighbor who comes during the week receives a pantry bag (canned and dry goods), a frozen protein, eggs and milk (when available), fresh produce and a number of other items.
We are grateful to NTFB that helps make this possible, BUT we are also grateful to the volunteers that make it possible!
On September 9 and 16, the pantry was pleased to have volunteers from the Texas Health Dallas Hospital Unit–Hamon 4 North Neuro Floor help unload, stock and make pantry bags. Wow! They were terrific. In the summer, Leny Gavino contacted the volunteer coordinator and arranged to have two volunteer events. With Leny’s help, the pantry had 8 extra volunteers on two Mondays in a row. What a treat!
The nurses who volunteered at the pantry care for stroke patients, spine/back surgery patients, and brain tumor patients who have had a craniotomy. Occasionally, they get stroke patients who are homeless—sometimes they are found unconscious at the DART stations. The nurses from the Neuro unit care for all who need their help.
The pantry is grateful for the help received from the nurses of the Neuro floor, but most especially for their big hearts that do not waver to help someone in need.