Supporting Our Poolesville Partners
On Wednesday July 31, Buddhist Relief made its biweekly deliveries to our Poolesville partners. We delivered our regular selection of produce (apples, oranges, carrots, onions, and potatoes); dairy items (cheese and milk); and pantry items (canned proteins such as tuna, chicken, peanut butter, canned and dry beans, and soups; meal components such as tortillas, referred beans, broth, canned tomatoes, rice, pasta sauce; condiments such as ketchup, mayonnaise, salad dressing, mustard, jam; and extras such as coffee and granola bars) to the Poolesville Little Free Pantry. These items are used to restock the pantry twice a day, supplementing items purchased by the church and donations from neighbors and local businesses.
For someone who is going through a rough patch or can’t make ends meet, the pantry is a lifesaver. Pantry co-manager Sarah wrote, “ Yesterday as our shelves were getting low, the KPC Buddhist Relief delivery truck pulled in with over 730 pounds of fresh and pantry stable food! With each delivery, they work alongside us to unload, restock, and package the produce into family portions. It is a true partnership to help local families meet basic needs. Thank you KPC as we celebrate your one year anniversary of supporting Little Free Pantry.”
We then headed across the street to WUMCO Help to deliver 330 pounds of produce and refrigerated food items. The apples, oranges, lunch meat, and most of the cheese will go to the families of students in the summer lunch program, supported by Buddhist Relief, Hosana Church, and other Poolesville residents and distributed by WUMCO. Without this program, these families would have to make a daily one-hour round trip to the nearest school site for their child to eat lunch - a luxury many cannot afford time-wise and gas-wise. Instead, they receive a week’s worth of lunch supplies each Thursday evening. Buddhist Relief also provided cheese, fruit, and eggs for WUMCO’s regular clients, ensuring that they have fresh food options in addition to the pantry donations.
