A food pantry at a local church received a generous donation that helped 104 families last week. Boyer’s Market, in Bernville, donated $1,500 in gift cars with the help of its customers to Zion Blue Mountain United Church of Christ Food Pantry, in Strausstown.
‘It was so nice,’ said Robin Faust, who helps with the food pantry at the church. ‘It made us feel great.’
This is the second year that Boyer’s has donated to the pantry and Faust was told that they were second in the amount that they raised. Donations were split between the pantry in Strausstown and another local food pantry. Boyer’s has been collection donations from customers and then matched the donations. Instead of donating food, the market donated gift cards worth $15 each allowing the families to shop for themselves at the market instead of selecting directly from the pantry.
‘It makes them feel good that they can go and spend some on their own,’ said Faust. ‘It’s really nice to give the extra gift.’
Prior to the donation, the members that help with the pantry were discussing what they should get for the upcoming holidays. By having gift cards available, it allows the families to make their own choices from a larger selection of products.
The pantry had 104 families on Nov. 21. ‘The most we ever had,’ said Faust.
She explained that $200 to $300 a month for the pantry feeds approximately 90 families so the donation was great to have and helped the food pantry to aid more families. About ten percent of the items in the pantry come from church and community donations with the rest coming from the Greater Berks Food Bank.
Recently the food pantry received donations from a collection of canned goods by the Boy Scouts and from Bethel Elementary School as well.
