Ellen Engel

The country is facing troubling times and we, as well as other countries, are facing rising inflation. Gas prices are over $5 a gallon. All of us have experienced grocery prices at an all-time high. Matthew’s Crossing has doubled the number of families it supports with food. Many of the people coming to Matthew’s Crossing say they never dreamed they would need the resources of a food bank to feed their family. All of us have experienced these price hikes. However, if we all donate food or money to our local food banks, we will be able to keep people fed until there is peace again. In many ways, America is the land of plenty. But the hunger is real. When Matthew’s Crossing saw that our seniors were not coming to the food bank during the pandemic, we began a new program that delivered food to them.

The June and July totals for each of our major organizational donors were as follows: Sun Lakes Duplicate Bridge Club, $75; Unity of Sun Lakes, 16 pounds of food and $270; and Sun Lakes Country Club (box is behind desk) 159 pounds of food. So far in 2022, our Reach Out Sun Lakes group has collected 961.5 pounds of food and $2,803. 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.

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, 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 480-857-2296.

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 protected].