Help with Holiday Food Insecurity

Submitted By: pattyrinehart@nehalemtel.net – Click to email about this post
Hello neighbors. At the end of this message, I’ve included something I got off the internet last week as a guide to help with food insecurity. That said every little bit helps.
I’ve called the Neah-Kah-Nie S.D. Superintendent’s office and found out there will be no food provided through the school system for the Christmas holiday. Kids will be out of school from December 16 through January 1. This means 16 days with no breakfast or lunch programs at school. Please do what you can to help feed these kids. Lots of things in our lives end. We have the end of a day or the end of the year-but no end to food insecurity. So, let’s pitch in and all do what we can to help with this problem.

I want to provide you with some addresses where you might send money or donate food over the holidays. Nehalem Senior Lunches can be reached at 503-368-5612 or PO Box 156, Nehalem, Oregon, 97130. This would be for Senior Lunches provided on Tuesday and Thursday.

Meals for Seniors located in Rockaway Beach, PO Box 852, Rockaway Beach, Oregon, 97136. Free lunches are provided on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

North County Food Bank, PO Boxx 162, Wheeler, Oregon, 97147. Remember they also have a clothing bank.

Rockaway Beach Lions, PO Box 611, Rockaway Beach, Oregon 97136. Lions will be providing Christmas dinners for several families.

The CHILD Program run by the Nehalem Bay United Methodist Church is providing clothes and toys for many children for the holidays. It’s getting a bit too late to shop now, but they could always use cash donations. Please be sure to write CHILD on your check. Address is Child Program, PO Box 156, Nehalem, Oregon, 97131.

OK, here is the list I got off the internet:

1. Everyone donates Kraft Mac and Cheese in the box. They can rarely use it because it needs milk and butter which is hard to get from regular food banks.
2. Boxed milk is a treasure, as kids need it for cereal which they also get a lot of.
3. Everyone donates pasta sauce and spaghetti noodles.
4. They cannot eat all the awesome canned veggies and soup unless you put a can opener in too or buy pop tops.
5. Oil is a luxury but needed for Rice a-Roni which they also get a lot of.
6. Spices or salt and pepper would be a real Christmas gift.
7. Tea bags and coffee make them feel like you care.
8. Sugar and flour are treats.
9. They fawn over fresh produce donated by farmers and grocery stores.
10. Seeds are cool in Spring and Summer because growing can be easy for some.
11. They rarely get fresh meat.
12. Tuna and crackers make a good lunch.
13. Hamburger Helper goes nowhere without ground beef.
14. They get lots of peanut butter and jelly but usually not sandwich bread.
15. Butter or margarine is nice too.
16. Eggs are a real commodity.
17. Cake mix and frosting makes it possible to make a child’s birthday cake.
18. Dishwashing detergent is very expensive and is always appreciated.
19. Feminine hygiene products are a luxury and women will cry over that.
20. Everyone loves Stove Top Stuffing.
21. Diapers
22. Wipes
23. Buns
24. Baked goods
25. Potatoes
26. Nuts
27. Seeds for eating or cooking
28. Raisins
29. Dishwashing pods
30. Rags and cleaning supplies
31. Pet food
32. Pet supplies
Thank you all!

Patty