Food drive benefits church pantry, builds confidence

A group of people at The Resource Center recently conducted a successful food drive to benefit a local church pantry, and they plan to do more to help the church and community.

The Building Community Through Service group at TRC’s Gateways PROS (Personalized Recovery Oriented Services) Center for Wellness in Dunkirk spent about two months collecting food for The Fred Basket food pantry at Fredonia Presbyterian Church. The drive was a success, yielding 150 items weighing a combined 124 pounds. Donations were received from within The Resource Center and from the community.

Church officials were grateful for the contribution and said the food drive exemplifies what the community is about.

“Food is basic, but it’s never just food; it’s dignity, care and connection,” said the Reverend Holly Clark-Porter. “This partnership shows the strength of a community that refuses to let its neighbors go without. When we show up for each other like this, we become stronger together. That’s what The Fred Basket is all about. That’s what this entire community is all about, and it shows each time good folks like The Resource Center show up.”

Jaala Haskins, employment/education specialist at Gateways PROS, and Ke-Khee Greenough, behavioral health clinician, facilitated the Building Community Through Service (BCTS) group members. They said the group took on the project to develop vocational skills and create community integration. Jaala said group members chose The Fred Basket as the beneficiary of the food drive due to the church’s “commitment to providing accessible, high-quality nutrition to families in the area.”

“Partnering with Pastor Holly Clark-Porter allowed our students to see exactly where their hard work was going: directly into the hands of those who need it most,” Jaala said.

She explained that to promote the food drive, BCTS students engaged in “foot marketing” by hand-delivering flyers to community businesses.

“They practiced professional communication and networking with community anchors like the Darwin R. Barker Library and local grocery stores, learning how to represent a cause with poise and persistence,” Jaala said. She added that group members knew their marketing efforts were successful when a community member dropped off food after having seen a flyer advertising the food drive.

In addition to the satisfaction they felt from conducting a successful food drive, BCTS students “mastered logistics, inventory management and professional advocacy” as part of their goal to build life roles that lead to competitive employment and education, Jaala said.

“They experienced the shift from being service recipients to being community providers, proving that they have the stamina, organizational skills and heart to succeed in any professional environment.”

Jaala said the BCTS students will continue to support the church while also looking to assist other organizations.

“We are very excited about the future of BCTS. We have solidified an ongoing partnership with the Fredonia Presbyterian Church to provide continued support for any additional assistance or projects they may have. Looking ahead, the group is preparing to launch a new drive specifically for everyday hygiene essentials, as we’ve identified a critical need for these items in our local area.”

She added, “We remain actively open to new volunteer opportunities across North County. Our goal is to continue finding diverse ways for our students to build their vocational portfolios while giving back to the community that supports them.”

Jaala Haskins, left, and Ke-Khee Greenough, right, pose with members of the Building Community Through Service group while delivering the food they collected.