Come rain, shine, or increasing temperatures, many volunteers in Luther gather to compile food boxes for their neighbors in Lake County and distribute them through in a drive-through food pantry. The line of cars stretches down the road, out of sight, and the energetic volunteers work diligently to load up their neighbors’ cars and get them on their way and out of the sun quickly. One volunteer uses a small megaphone to announce the number of households each neighbor is picking up for; another sets aside additional boxes to be delivered by volunteers to anyone unable to attend.
This is the Luther Lions Club mobile food pantry, tended to by a little over a dozen volunteers along with coordinator Judy Grahek and her husband, Bill. Together, their team works hard each month to supply neighbors with food resources. And they’re doing everything they can to make the experience convenient for their neighbors.
“It’s been an evolvement,” Judy explained. “Previously, we would hold the mobile inside the building. And we would have the clients come inside, rain or shine, but we do all the mobiles outside now, even in the wintertime. It’s worked out much better. It’s quicker. Clients seem to be happier that way.”
When asked about the impact of these mobile pantries on the community, Judy emphasized that Feeding America West Michigan’s Mobile Food Pantries make a meaningful difference in her community.
“Our community is very small. The population of Luther is pretty small, but we get a lot of clients from around the area, besides Luther. And we appreciate everything that we get from Feeding America and the donors. So we really depend on them, and so does the community because this is a very low-income county. We feel that the need is here, and we appreciate all that we get.”
During this distribution alone, 139 households were supplied with fresh produce such as potatoes, mushrooms, tomatoes, peaches, juice, cereal, and cottage cheese.
Impacting Their Community
Neighbor Lynda turns to the Luther Lions Club mobile pantry to provide food for her family, including her stepdaughter, after unexpected medical issues took their toll.
“It’s just been nice to be able to have that extra help,” she said. “I think if there was ever a chance that there was a threat that this would be taken away, I think it would do real bad harm, not for me, but for other people too, because we depend on this to help us. There’s not a lot of places, especially in this small town that we live in, to get help like this.”
When asked what she would say to fellow neighbors who may feel embarrassed to seek out help, she added,
“I would say to them, ‘Don’t feel that way.’ … They’re not there to make you feel like you’re no good. They’re there to help you. They’re not there to belittle you or to say you can’t make it on your own, because you can, but sometimes you just need a little bit of help to get you there. That’s what the organizations are for. Don’t feel like you can’t use them, because that’s why they’re there for you.”
Lynda also wanted to offer her gratitude to donors and organizations like the Lake County Community Foundation.
“Thank you for everything that you donate. We’re not out here begging for help. We are out here because we can’t afford things with the economy. I work full time, normally, and now I’m not because of medical reasons, but with what your company or the person who donates gives it’s helping me to feed and take care of my family. So, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you very much for what you do, and if you can, please continue to give, because it’s not only me that you’re helping. You’re helping a lot of people, even if you don’t hear from them. I know it, and I see it.”