Ellen Engel

Matthew’s Crossing is so grateful to their friends here in Sun Lakes who have stepped up their commitment to fighting hunger. Hunger is real. It doesn’t take a vacation or a holiday, it is not a game. It bites and it hurts. Matthew’s Crossing Food Bank is what it is today because of the support from the residents of Sun Lakes and many other communities who are determined to fight hunger! Keep it up Sun Lakes Residents.

With our donations and others they are able to increase the work they do. Now they are able to provide emergency food boxes to 6,000 people per month. About 1500 children are on MCFB school meal programs each week of the school year. In 2018, 123,124 individuals sought hunger relief through all of the Matthew’s Crossing emergency food assistance programs.

The April totals for each of our major organizational donors were as follows: Sun Lakes Duplicate Bridge Club, 57 pounds of food and $267.00; $; Unity of Sun Lakes, 89 pounds of food and $185.00; and Sun Lakes Country Club (box in lobby) 161 lbs of food. The Sun Lakes Democratic Club and our Jewish Community are not reflected this month but will be next month because they meet after the deadline for this article. So far in 2019, our Reach Out group has collected 1,650.5 pounds of food and $1,832.00. Thank you Sun lakes!

Membership in local clubs and congregations is not a criterion for contributing. In fact, many individual donors show up at these two club-sponsored pickup points from all over Sun Lakes. The Bridge Club pickup takes place at the Risen Savior Lutheran Church on Alma School Road from 12:30 to 1:20 p.m. on the first Monday of each month, and the Sun Lakes Democratic Club accepts contributions on the second Monday at 6:30 p.m. at the Sun Lakes Country Club (SLCC).

For those who cannot make it to the formal pickup locations at specific times, a collection point is also open during normal business hours at the Sun Lakes Country Club.

The food bank itself, which is located at 1368 Arizona Avenue in Chandler, also needs volunteers on a regular basis. If this opportunity interests you, please call their volunteer coordinator at 857-2296.

For further information, to arrange for organizational support for this very worthwhile program, or to volunteer your own personal services, please contact Ellen Engel at (480) 980-6841 or email her at [email protected].