Harvest of Hope still needs volunteers
I think that probably the most difficult decision I have to make each month is what food items to distribute for the upcoming month. Of course, the decision must be based on what we have in stock. Sometimes I am satisfied with what we give to our clients. However, at times when I look at what we are giving out, I say to myself that I wish we could do better. It is almost impossible to go to any store and purchase 700 cans or boxes of anything. I love to give corn to each client each month. I think the reason for that is that I love corn and could eat it every day. At times, it is impossible to acquire corn from Second Harvest of South Georgia. Then there are green beans. I like green beans though I do not always eat them. Green beans are an interesting vegetable. If you eat a $3.95 plate lunch, green beans will be there. But, by the same token, if you go to a $1,000 a plate dinner to raise money for some cause, the green beans will be there, elevated from the basement to the penthouse. But wherever you eat them, they still taste like green beans. We always try to give green beans each month. Do you like English peas? I love English peas, though I don’t eat them as often as I once did. We always ate the very small early English peas. They were not my Daddy’s favorite but I guess he ate them because I wanted them. If the English peas were larger than the very small English peas, my daddy called them “Chinaberries.”
We also give fruit of some kind every month. It may be applesauce, pears, peaches, or some other kinds of fruit that we can get. We occasionally get canned, sliced potatoes, which one of our clients says is her favorite of all the things that we give out. However, on the other hand, we gave out spinach for several months, not because I like spinach but often we are very limited in what Second Harvest gets from Feed America. After we had given out spinach for several months, one day a client brought in a bag of cans of spinach and gave it to me. “I don’t like spinach, but I don’t want to throw it away.” “Well.” I said, “I do not like spinach either. Some things that are good for you are not good to you.” I could go on about the canned goods we distribute, but if you want to know everything that we distribute, come by Harvest of Hope Food Pantry. In addition to canned food, we give out peanut butter (every month), mac & cheese, rice, and so many other things.
We would like it very much if you would come sometimes on either Monday morning between 7 and 9:15 a.m. when we are packing bags or on Tuesday morning between 7 and 11 a.m. when we are distributing food. If you come either time, you can see all that we give out and see what we are doing in your name. We appreciate representing you to Sumter County. We are even more proud that we can represent Jesus in this community. Thank you for allowing us to serve. I know I speak for each board member and each individual who volunteers in this ministry. Yes, we consider what we do as a ministry.
We are already making plans for our Christmas distribution. We plan to pack on Tuesday, Dec. 18 and distribute food on Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 19 and 20, mornings and afternoons. We are working now on what foods we will be able to give out for December. We always need even more help during our Christmas distribution. Why don’t you consider helping? Christmas is all about giving, even on the lowest level of giving — we call it Santa Claus, to the deepest level of giving, out of which Christmas was born — God giving His Son for us. It would be nice if we all give ourselves in service.
We know that Thanksgiving is coming up in November, before Christmas, and we are working on those plans now as well.
In November and December there are several dates that you might like to put on your calendar:
• Nov. 3 is the Empty Bowls annual fundraiser for Harvest of Hope Food Pantry. Ceramics professor Keaton Wynn, retired professor emeritus Ralph Harvey and a number of the students create many unique and beautiful bowls for the event. Come to the Americus Arts Center, downtown, and purchase a bowl for $20 and enjoy a serving of very good soup prepared and donated by Little Brother’s Bistro. Proceeds are divided between Harvest of Hope and Americus Arts.
• Nov. 10 is the Plains Car Show from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. During the car show there will be a 50/50 Fundraiser for the Food Pantry. Tickets available at the show. Drawing at 2:30 with winner receiving half of the total ticket sales and Harvest of Hope Food Pantry receiving half.
• Dec. 14 and 15 will be the first annual Brickyard BBQ Bash at the Americus KOA at Brickyard Plantation. There will be a live band on Saturday. Professional and cooking for fun barbecue competition sanctioned by the Georgia Barbecue Association. All proceeds will benefit Harvest of Hope Food Pantry. Free admission with donation of canned goods.
As you can see, there is so much going on as this year winds down; so many special things. But Mondays and Tuesdays come every week.
Thank you for your support and we pray for your continued support. Pray for us. Even if we had all the resources we need (we do not) we would fail without your prayers.
Thanks to each of you for everything you do. God bless you.

Sonny Pinckard is executive director, Harvest of Hope.