Rock Port Food Pantry

The Rock Port Food Pantry is low on the following items: cereal, sugar, cooking oil, canned peas, shampoo, body wash, and toothpaste.

Items can be taken to the Rock Port United Methodist Church, 211 W. Opp. The food pantry is located in the fellowship hall. The food pantry will be open  Friday, July 28, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday, August 1, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon; Friday, August 11, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday, August 15, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon; and Friday, August 25, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.

Monetary donations may be mailed to the Rock Port Ministerial Alliance, P.O. Box 164, Rock Port, MO 64482. Write Food Pantry on the memo line. You can also contact the Rock Port Ministerial Alliance at 660-253-3535.

Tarkio/Westboro/Fairfax Food Pantry Board meets

The Tarkio/Westboro/Fairfax Food Pantry Board met Tuesday, July 11, with 17 members present. Churches represented were: Fairfax – Baptist, Christian, Methodist and Presbyterian; Tarkio – Baptist, Catholic, First Christian, Church of God, Methodist and Presbyterian; and Westboro  – Methodist and St. John’s Lutheran. Sam O’Riley from Community Services, Inc. was also present.

Pastor Cathy Riggins presided over the meeting. In May, 82 individuals representing 38 households were served. In June, 81 individuals representing 37 households were assisted.

A discussion was held in regards to the partnership with Second Harvest. It was decided that the food pantry has become quite self-sufficient due to the tremendous support of the local communities it serves. Second Harvest has not supported the local food pantry with assistance of any sort and yet has required the local food pantry to provide information that boosts their program. It was the consensus of the board to dissolve the partnership with them.

The Summer of Love program has been successful again this summer. There are enough monetary donations that the food pantry can provide bags of food-friendly items to families the first part of August. Board members will meet August 1 at 10:00 a.m. to pack the individual bags to be given out. Questions regarding this program may be directed to Sam O’Riley at Community Services.

The food pantry will be open the third and fourth Tuesdays and Thursdays of July and August from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. It will also be open on the third Tuesday from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. St. John’s Lutheran Church will open the pantry in July and the Tarkio Presbyterian Church will open the pantry in August.

The next board meeting will be September 12, 2023, at 9:30 a.m.

The food pantry is currently low on the following items: tomato juice (64 oz.), saltine crackers, cake mixes (chocolate or white), soups (cream of mushroom, chicken noodle, tomato, cream of chicken, vegetable beef, chili), flour (5 lbs.), sugar (5 lbs.), ground beef (1 lb. pkg.), and dish soap.

Monetary donations are also appreciated as the money allows the shelves to be stocked with the items that are low. Donations intended for the local food pantry need to be given directly to the pantry. For after hours donations, call 816-261-2672. The food pantry is located at 315 in Main Street in Tarkio.