Season of giving begins at MMFP

The community stepped up for their friends and neighbors and it was really something to see.

The Montrose Mobile Food Pantry served 350 families.

Montrose Mobile Food Pantry has distributed food to people in the community for over six years. The distribution happens the second Friday of each month at the South Montrose Community Church. The supplier, CEO Weinberg Food Bank of the Northeast Region provides non-perishable foods and fresh produce in season.

At the November distribution, as always, the Commission on Economic Opportunity (CEO) provided a tremendous amount of food for those in need but at the November distribution, the Montrose Mobile Food Pantry was able to add sausage, chicken, pasta and stuffing for those families for their Thanksgiving holiday tables.

The MMFP receives donations from individuals in the community as well as businesses. November’s donations were beyond our expectations. Local businesses and individual donations allowed the pantry to supplement our usual fare. Thanksgiving items were purchased as well as breakfast sausage to add to the holiday meal. CEO Weinberg delivered ground venison that was well received and added to a wonderful variety of meats for our clients.

Follert also offered thanks to those who provided financial support and coordination efforts in November: shop owners in the downtown Montrose, as well as many of their patrons; The William and Deborah Lewis Fund, facilitated by the Endless Mountains Community Foundation; Silver Lake Ladies Community Service Club; Paul, Pam and Blake Kelly; Jerry and Carol Ely; and Scarfalloto’s Hometown Market, as well as Coterra and St Paul’s Episcopal Church for their ongoing donation of Milk and Bread.

In addition, MMFP welcomed an amazing group of volunteers to help out at the November distribution. Some families came to help on a day that they otherwise may have been working and members of the Montrose Key Club came out on their day off from classes, too. The Key Club members assisted in packing and delivering food to the cars as they arrived. The students were respectful and a tremendous help from packing fresh vegetables to breaking down cardboard.

The pantry has a core of dedicated volunteers – mostly retired individuals – that show up month after month regardless of the weather. Their dedication is a true service to the community.

“It was wonderful to see so many young and willing volunteers,” said Tom Follert of the Susquehanna County United Way. “Great job to all.”

“In this season of giving, we are so proud to be part of this. We look forward to bringing more to the table in December as well,” Follert said.

“Generosity and kindness cannot be fabricated. We are privileged to be partners with CEO Weinberg and are grateful for the support of our donors and volunteers,” added MMFP volunteer Judy McKee.

CEO Weinberg does a wonderful job of providing food and produce, but Follert noted, that as the need in the community grows, so does the need for additional funding for all of the pantries in Susquehanna County. He said there is currently a greater need to provide for proteins, as well as shelf stable pantry items.