Welcome to our online food pantry donation campaign at the Jefferson Food Pantry! We're on a mission to ensure that no one in our community goes hungry, and your support can play a crucial role in making a positive impact on the lives of individuals and families in need. Join us in this important endeavor by making a donation today.
Over the past year, Jefferson Food Pantry (JFP) has accomplished significant milestones, and there's still much more to achieve. Our capital improvements include the replacement of walk-in cooler and freezer units, a revitalized waiting room with inviting paint, community resource boards, and new chairs. We've expanded service capacity by reconfiguring pantry shelving, introduced a new outdoor farmer's market-style produce cart, installed two standalone freezers, and initiated the remodeling of our office space.
In collaboration with our landlord, we've also improved our facilities by resurfacing the parking lot, enhancing drainage, installing a new security system, and implementing new outdoor signage. Looking ahead to 2024, our plans involve upgrading electricity and replacing the roof.
We've implemented new, personalized guest services, such as Senior Stockbox DoorDash deliveries, Palermo "FREE Pizza Giveaway Days," RiverBlend Meal Kits (our version of Hello Fresh), weekly pantry recipes and cooking tips, energy efficiency kit distribution, expansion of our birthday bag and "hotel kit" programs, a FREE JFP produce market during the growing season, and a Thanksgiving Meal Kit mobile pantry.
Additionally, we've acquired a new box truck, strengthened public/private/non-profit fundraising collaboration, increased marketing and grant writing efforts, and welcomed new, diverse board members and volunteers.
Despite these efforts, our guest numbers have surged at an unprecedented rate. Since May 2021, we've gone from serving approximately 12 households per service day to 68 households yesterday, marking a staggering 450% increase. We've reached guest number capacity, necessitating additional service hours to meet the growing need.
As the community's needs escalate rapidly, our pantry shelves consistently have gaps. While our local food banks provide excellent bulk purchasing options, the increase in food prices calls for additional financial support to sustain these purchases into the new year.
And here's something important to know: when you donate to the Jefferson Food Pantry, every cent of your donation directly benefits our community. There are no administrative or overhead funds deducted. Your support goes directly toward making a positive impact in the lives of those who need it most. Thank you for being a vital part of this important mission!