Food bank resupplies but needs more donations

A couple of recent drives that resupplied Maricopa’s only food bank came at the perfect time ­as it was down to little more than a can of soup and a half-dozen cans of tuna.

The food bank operated by the Living Water Church of the Nazarene got 915 pounds of food from the Curves business in Maricopa, and more than 500 non-perishable food items were collected over last weekend during a food drive hosted by Desert Sun Performing Arts and Amy Jamieson photography.

For the price of a bag of groceries, families could have a photo taken with the Easter Bunny and receive a free 5×7 print.

“We more than doubled, almost tripled, the number of participants from our Christmas Toy Drive,” said DSPA owner Ceylan Gentilella.

“Miss Ceylan donates her time and attention to the community and gives all her heart to those who need it most,” said Amy Jamieson of Amy Jamieson Photography. “I love having the opportunity to be a part of that effort, and it’s exciting to see the community participation grow.”

Pastor Todd Sharp said the Food Bank Pantry helped 48 families in the past 10 months,­ affecting more than 200 lives.

Much of the food bank’s recent supplies came from a food drive conducted by Maricopa Wells Middle School, the first of two planned for this year. “That has carried us for almost eight months,” Sharp said. “The first drive has gotten us through to this point, and we were about out of food, so this donation came at the perfect time.”

“We also receive supplies from Maricopa Community Church, individual families from the Nazarene Church, from M.A.S.H. in Casa Grande and Wings of Love in Hidden Valley” he said.

“Now Bashas’ is giving us food on a regular basis.”

The food bank also gives food to the Maricopa chapter of the Salvation Army, Sharp said, and it offers counseling, financial advice, Bibles and more to those who need and ask for it.

While the houses in Maricopa are new and everything looks fine, Sharp said, there are families here who have budgeted very tightly and something like higher gas prices can push them into the red. And some people just budget poorly or don’t make enough to cover expenses or run into tough circumstances.

Families do not have to “qualify” financially. “We speak to them about their need and how we can assist them,” Sharp said.

Recipients are completely local, he said, and the process is fairly simple: “You call; you have a need. We discuss the need, and we drop a food box.”

While there are food banks in the Valley, most notably the St. Mary’s/Westside Food Bank Alliance, Sharp said people have to drive into the city to get it, and it could cost as much in gas to get a box of food.

Maricopans don’t have to do that. In fact, the Maricopa food bank takes the food where the people in need are.

“We deliver to them,” Sharp said. “We don’t give them one food box,­ we give them a food box every week until they say, ‘We’re done.'”

Families do not have to “qualify” financially. “We speak to them about
their need and how we can assist them,” Sharp said.

How you can help:
Non-perishable food items and money can be donated to the Food Box Pantry at the Living Water Church of the Nazarene by calling (520) 568-9054.

Items most needed are: pasta, boxed macaroni and cheese, soups, cereal, canned beans, canned fruits, boxed dessert items such as Jello, canned tuna, ramen,
spaghetti sauce (preferably in plastic jars or cans), boxed mashed or scalloped potatoes, Hamburger Helper, peanut butter and jellies and jams.

Photos Courtesy of Amy Jamieson Photography