Monday’s request for help: cereal for the Pantry and the children’s Backpack Program for weekend food; please choose one or two if you can. The cereal shelves are empty again.

They go quickly as more and more people come to the Pantry for food assistance. Sarah just did the math on her grants from the Regional Food Bank. They are down 46% this year. This included several different grants and funding sources, but they are all reduced or eliminated.

Less food support, more families. It’s tough math. Sarah says about 50 shelves are empty or emptier.

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Here are Sarah’s cereal requests and some bargains:

 Puff Chocolatey Peanut Butter Breakfast Cereal, Whole Grain, $2.37.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Breakfast Cereal, $2.97.

Cheerios Honey Nut Breakfast Cereal, Gluten Free, 226 whole grain, $2.97.

Quaker Oatmeal Squares Breakfast Cereal, Brown Sugar, (3 Pack), $11.97.

Honey Bunches of Oats Granola Crunches (2 Pack), $5.95.

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Toney, who comes every week to drive the Pantry truck. He is especially kind and gentle.

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Strongest needs: Cereal trouble again. Sarah is also hoping for help with two kinds of breakfast cereal (I ordered five more). Most cereals are very low-priced. They also help in the pack-tack program for children who are hungry on the weekends. The request for cereal was substantial, but we don’t have the numbers or details for a day or two. Lots of peanut butter came today. Thanks.

Sarah told me today that cereal is the most urgent need right now. It disappears from the shelves quickly. Whatever we can do will help.

Cereal remains a continuing issue for the Pantry in the new reality; the Army of Good has been great in helping. So we are asking again. The Food Banks are not sending any. It’s not likely to get better soon.

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Finally, the tomatoes were stacked! Thank you. They were out for weeks.

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Some Clam Chowder is arriving. Thank You.

Find your joy.

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Jim has remarkable faith. He gets a different shirt every week. I admire anyone who chooses kindness and generosity while others laugh and hate. He is an inspiration to me.