Food Bank

Mother Teresa’s Food Bank

Mother Teresa’s Food Bank was started in 1976 by IHM volunteer parishioners.  This Adams County Food Bank, located in Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish Center, provides a helping hand for struggling families.  Without bias of religion or ethnicity we strive to emulate the teachings of Mother Teresa – to serve the poor and needy with assistance of food and basic life necessities.  These families must live within our service boundaries.  No one is denied a one-time emergency food bag and they receive referrals to other agencies within their boundaries.  The amount of food received is based on the number of dependents and their family’s needs as well as our available supply.  Picture I.D., PLUS proof of current residency dated within 30 days, is required to receive services or you must be an active parish member.

Additional Service

Limited financial assistance for utilities, rent, medication, transportation and motels.  Must have eviction or utilities shut-off notice to be eligible for a once-a-year maximum $100.00 assistance.  Financial assistance can only be given if entire bill is being covered by additional resources.  We will provide referrals to other appropraite agencies.

Hours of Distribution

Monday, Wednesday, Friday
9:00 am – 11:30 am

Once a month pickup for food bags.
Once a week for breads, sweets and household items.

Boundaries

1-25 East to Quebec Road
104thto 160th

Food Donations

ALWAYS ACCEPTED

We always need canned spaghetti sauce, tuna, oatmeal and cereal, tomato sauce, canned pinto beans, canned fruit & vegetables, mac and cheese, jell-o, saltines, jelly, peanut butter, soup, meals in a can, pasta side dishes, hamburger and tuna helper (family size not cafeteria size).

 Non-Food Donations

ALWAYS ACCEPTED

Cash donations always appreciated!

  • Only small personal size printer cartridges
  • Plastic bags—grocery, produce & newspaper bags
  • Small plastic bottles—no larger than 6 ounces  with screw on tops
  • Duffel bags/suitcases on wheels
  • Empty egg cartons—dozen size only
  • Personal care hygiene items—new, partially filled or hotel bottles
  • Children toys and books
  • Towels and bedding—new or used & clean
  • Household items—dishes, silverware, pots & pans
  • Diapers & Pull-ups—larger sizes preferred
  • Rosaries, medals, and holy cards
  • Calendars

 Monthly “Souper” Heroes

 Volunteers consist of:
  • Drivers pick up donated bread and food.  Volunteers needed for small weekly pick-ups and occasional large food donations.
  • Food Sorters/Distributors stock shelves, sort food, weigh and bag groceries, and monitor distribution.
  •  Lobby Assistants welcome families and confirm they are within required boundaries. Provide assistance in completing the required paperwork or referral to alternative agencies.
  •  Administrative Assistants update family information through computers, assist with family intakes, and tabulate data for monthly reports and general secretarial tasks.
  •  Phone Message Assistants follow up with phone requests for assistance and provide referrals to appropriate agencies.
  •  Donation Assistants neatly organize all non food donations for distribution.
  •  Career/Job Board Assistants search for and maintain job board in our food bank lobby.
  •  Resource Coordinators search, organize, update resource lists to provide current information to the families.
  •  Spanish Translators assist with communication both verbal and written with our Spanish speaking clients.

WE REACHED OUR GOAL!

DON’T SCARE ME LIKE THAT EVER AGAIN IHM!

When you read this, our December 16 Christmas Distribution will be nothing but a memory.  But as I write this it is still a big and exciting event yet waiting to happen!  Once again I have no doubt that this event will go off as well as all the others in the past.  Of course I can have this sense of confidence because of all of you IHM parishioners.  Thank you for believing in the Outreach Ministry and for supporting us in all that we do.  We managed to reach our Christmas goal again!  I am happy to announce that our Food Bank Parents will receive a $25 gift card for each of their children, thus allowing them to bring a little bit of Christmas to their home this year.  I realize the Outreach Department is a non-stop asking machine, but yet you all just keep coming through.  Thank you sincerely from the bottom of our hearts and thank you from all the Food Bank Families too!

I must admit though, you all scared me a little bit this year!  As a matter of fact my doctor has warned me that you folks are bad for my blood pressure!  He says next year you absolutely can’t wait until the last minute to come through with your gift card donations or it just might push me over the edge! (by the way I’m just kidding I don’t even have high blood pressure, so don’t start praying for my blood pressure, I’m just trying to make a point—please don’t wait until the last minute.) So, thank you to all of you who stepped up and helped us reach our goal of $25,575 for 1,023 gift cards valued at $25 each for all the food bank children.  It would have never been possible without each and every one of you, because as we all know each dollar donated will add up to make all the difference.  I must give a huge thank you though, to a few families who saw our dilemma and stepped up with some very impressive donations, ranging all the way up to $2,000.  Without these donations we would have never made it this year. 

I want to especially thank all of our loyal and dependable volunteers who show up not just for the big special holiday events, but the ones who show up day in and day out to keep this food bank a reality.  Can you even imagine if we had to pay all of you what your volunteer time is really worth?  All of our money would be spent on salaries and none of it on food!  I have a feeling people would quit donating if this were the case.  Without all of you and your endless dedication to the Food Bank there would be no place at IHM to welcome the hungry and the poor.  Your selfless sacrifice of time, muscle, compassion and love is the core of our existence.  And for all of you who are unable to donate your time, trust us who are at the food bank, day in and day out: your donations of money, food, household items, etc. are so appreciated and needed.  The stories we hear on a daily bases are overwhelming and devastating.  Volunteers have to struggle to keep from getting personally involved with many of the families.  Some volunteers have even been instructed not to bring their purses in when they volunteer, because it is too hard for them to resist handing out a $20 here and a $20 there to these families struggling just to keep their electricity turned on or a roof over their head, etc.  And I am afraid that my volunteer’s husbands will make them quit volunteering once they discover that not only are their wives working for free, but now they are also paying to volunteer!  It is truly hard to believe some people’s luck or lack thereof.  Our demographics show a rising increase in the number of multiple families living together just so they can make ends meet.  Or what about the widow with four kids I met with this week who has nowhere to live, and when I mentioned possible family members who could maybe help her out, I heard again about family members who either can’t or won’t help.  What kind of family experiences could these people have lived through to not even help another family member and her four kids find at least a floor to sleep on?  And then there are all the devastating health stories we hear every day, it makes a person really step back and thank God above for the blessing of good health.  We are talking about totally capable, hardworking people, whose lives were changed forever as a result of devastating health issues.  Please just rest assured that 100% of every donation you make to our food bank is being used to support those in need in our community.  Thank you once again for your constant support! 

THANKS ALSO TO:

  • Our ever present Knights of Columbus for extra financial support for our gift card drive.
  • Barry Wagoner for donating over 300 bags of coffee to hand out with our holiday baskets.
  • Maryann Willis for always being ready at a moment’s notice to run to the store to buy whatever items we are out of, such as Ziplock plastic bags, bar soap, bus tokens, and gas cards. But especially at this time of year when we throw in all the other holiday special needs on top of the regular shopping. Thank you for always being so available and so good natured about it. You are a life savior. And thanks for not changing your phone number; many volunteers would have by now

FREE WAYS TO HELP!

SAD THAT THE FOOD BANK ISN’T ASKING FOR ANYTHING FOR A WHILE?  DON’T GO INTO WITHDRAWAL!

SUNDAY COUPON FLIERS: Please remember to bring in your coupon packets from the Sunday paper.  You may cut out the coupons you personally want first and then bring the rest to the Narthex front desk. You do not need to cut them out, just bring the whole packet.  We only want the Smart Source, Red Plum, and Procter and Gamble (P&G) coupon packets, please.

SMALL PERSONAL SIZE INK CARTRIDGES: Please bring your empty, dried out personal size ink cartridges to the Narthex front desk. The food bank receives free money for recycling these cartridges.

ALBERTSONS COMMUNITY PARTNERS SHOPPING CARDS: Please remember to use your Albertsons Community Partners Card anytime you buy something at an Albertsons store.  It costs you nothing and the food bank receives cash back for all purchases.  Of course the more we all spend the more cash we receive.  If you don’t have one please stop by the Narthex front desk and pick one up.  If the front desk doesn’t know where they are, tell them to look in Julie’s drawer!

$7,500!

FOOD BANK TO BE PRESENTED WITH ALBERTSONS’ CHECK FOR $7,500 THIS WEEKEND!

On Saturday, December 17 our IHM Food Bank will be presented with our $7,500 check we earned through the Albertsons Community Partnership National Contest. Thank you to all of you IHM parishioners who took the time each day to vote for our food bank.  I was just informed we earned more money than any other organization in Colorado.  A few of them earned $1,000 each, but no one else managed to reach the $7,500 mark!  Thanks IHM for the support!