‘Feed the Need’ organizers to collect food donations Saturday

(ABC 6 News) – Organizers of the newest “Feed the Need” campaign are preparing to collect what they hope will be enough nonperishable food to supply the downtown Rochester Salvation Army’s food shelf for an entire year.

The drive through style food collection will take place Saturday, May 13 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the parking lot of Evangel United Methodist Church, located at 2645 North Broadway in Rochester.

Evangel is excited to make this year’s collection a community event with live music, food, games and activities for families and kids. “We really want people to be able to stay and watch this wall being built,” said Evangel’s Christian Education and Worship Director, Jim Klepper, “It’s really an incredible representation, not just of the need for food, but of the scale of this community’s generosity.”

The Salvation Army says their food shelf is the only pantry in the community that is accessible to the downtown area without vehicle transportation, and acts as a safety net for 90 households every week. Rising food costs and high inflation have led to nearly double the number of households using the food shelf over the past year.

“Last year’s event was so much more successful than we ever could have imagined,” said Major Candace Voeller, Corps Officer of The Salvation Army, “We are so grateful to Evangel, and to the many members of our community who we know will donate food this weekend to make sure that our neighbors do not go hungry.”

Most needed food items include: boxes of cereal, granola/cliff bars, canned soup, canned pasta meals like Chef Boyardee, baked beans, peanut butter, condiments/jellies, cooking oils, and snack items. All donations must be unopened and not expired.

Volunteers are still needed and can sign up to help, HERE.

For more information about ways to support the food shelf, call 507-288-3663,