Ellen Engel

The foods that are high priority for Matthew’s Crossing are as follows: peanut butter, canned meat/tuna, canned vegetables, canned fruit, Vienna sausage, applesauce cups, cereal, macaroni and cheese (Easy Mac), ramen noodles, pasta, and soup.

These foods represent the staples that can go into every box of food that is requested. There are great sales in grocery stores on cereal, so many people tell me they keep this list, and if there are sales, they purchase. Rice is also a great purchase. Those big bags of rice get split into two or three smaller bags. Coupons and ads that come in during the week can give you an opportunity to add food to your grocery list.

For many years, Reach Out Sun Lakes has collected several thousand pounds of food and several thousand dollars a year for the Food Bank. We are looking forward to collecting a full year this year. In 2020 and 2021 all of our member organizations did not meet because of COVID-19. So far, we have groups that are beginning to meet again. Our collections for two months are as follows: the Bridge Club, 83 pounds of food and $145; Unity Church of Sun Lakes, 102 pounds of food and $495, and Sun Lakes Country Club food box 90 pounds of food. The total this year is 261 pounds of food and $640.

Donation places are Matthew’s Crossing Food Bank collection box in Sun Lakes Country Club reception for anyone who wants to donate food for the Food Bank. You can also bring donations to Risen Savior Lutheran Church, where our bridge group meets, and donate in the parking lot outside, with Jim Meagher collecting there on the first and third Tuesdays of the month between 12:30 and 1:30 p.m. If you wish to donate to Matthew’s Crossing Food Bank directly, please send your generous donations to Matthew’s Crossing Food Bank, at 1368 N. Arizona Ave #112-115, in Chandler, AZ 85225. Let’s get this country back on track, making sure our children, unemployed, and elderly have enough food.

Matthew’s Crossing Food Bank also needs volunteers on a regular basis. If this opportunity interests you, please call their volunteer coordinator at 480-857-2296. For more information on the food bank, check their website, www.MatthewsCrossing.org.

Reach Out Sun Lakes will pick up for your organization and deliver food and dollars to Matthew’s Crossing Food Bank. You can check this article monthly to see the total your group has donated. You will also see what is donated from other organizations to give a final total for the Reach Out Sun Lakes group. For further information, to arrange for your organization’s support of this worthwhile program, or to volunteer as a collector, please contact Ellen Engel at 480-980-6841 or email [email protected].