Church Community Services News

 Church Community Services is continuing to set records with the number of people coming for assistance.  Our pantry shelves are really low on the following popular items:

~ Ramen Noodles

~ Cereal

~ Peanut Butter

~ Toliet Paper

~ Baby Food

Would you consider a doing a special drive for these items with your  church,   neighbors, group or family?  If you have a food drive, we would be happy to provide (and pick up) a barrel to collect items in. 

If you would prefer to just purchase some extra items during your regular grocery trip this week, we would be thrilled to accept donations during working hours.   Monday - Thursday (9-12 & 1-4)  & Friday (9-12).

“We were getting pretty desperate in the food pantry - this food drive took place at a crucial time.” - Wayne Harter, CCS Food Pantry Coordinator

Throughout the week of May 5-10, mail carriers in Elkhart delivered an extra piece of mail to homes and churches - a brown paper bag. Much as if it were at a grocery store, these brown paper bags were then filled with food and groceries. However, the grocery-filled paper bags were then delivered to the Post Office on Saturday, May 10. One brown paper bag of food arrived, and then another one - and another - and before long, 12,000 pounds of donated food items were collected, transported to Church Community Services, and sorted. Wayne Harter, CCS Food Pantry Coordinator, remembers that this annual food drive has gone on for as long as he has volunteered at Church Community Services, seven years, and that food donations this year significantly increased from the 5,000 pounds of food donated last year.

Nearly 40 volunteers from River Oaks Community Church, Hively Avenue Mennonite Church, and CCS Food Pantry Volunteers were present on Saturday to aid in the transportation and sorting of food. Before food can be placed on the food pantry shelves, it must be sorted; this allows for the food pantry shelves to be restocked easier, and allows Harter to see which items the food pantry is lacking. Currently, baby food, personal care items such as toothbrushes, and toilet paper are all still in low supply at the food pantry - and in high demand by food pantry clients. Church Community Service’s food pantry is a client-choice pantry and is the largest in Elkhart County, serving 1300 families and individuals every month.

Didn’t receive a brown paper bag in your mailbox? Call Church Community Services at 574-295-3673 to find out how you can donate food to the client-choice food pantry. To see pictures of the Food Drive, go here.