July 24, 2008
Mad River Valley Food Shelf
With support from the Mad River Valley Interfaith Council, community businesses, civic groups, and concerned individuals throughout the Valley, the Mad River Valley (MRV) Food Shelf has been serving the Valley community for more than 4 years. Now serving more than 60 families each month, the MRV Food Shelf sites strong community support as the key to their success. And as the number of people seeking food assistance continues to grow, the MRV Food Shelf continues to recruit support from their local community.
With help from the MRV Interfaith Council, the food shelf gains greater access to needed food and services. The MRV Interfaith Council is made up of the Jewish community, Warren United Church of Christ, Waitsfield United Church of Christ, St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church, Moretown United Methodist Church, Our Lady of Snows Catholic Church, St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, the Church of the Crucified One and the Buddhist community. Each congregation provides the food shelf with non-perishable groceries several times per year as well as monetary donations.
The community has created innovative ways to support the efforts of the MRV Food Shelf throughout the year. It is not uncommon for a nutrition lesson to be coupled with a food drive, or for birthday parties to collect canned goods instead of birthday presents, or to receive donations from a Christmas tree decorating contest. This year, the local fire department allowed the food shelf to use the firehouse for the Foodbank’s Neighborhood Pantry Express which was funded by a local bank and Rotary Club. The local newspaper participates in turkey donation solicitations from local merchants. The recycling center accepts assignments of bottle and can returns to the food shelf. At one of the community churches, wedding guests made donations to the Vermont Foodbank that went on account for the MRV Food Shelf at the request of the bride and groom. These donations were then matched by a local business. During intermission, the local theater group sells homemade cookies, baked by members of the Interfaith Council, with proceeds benefiting the food shelf. Many community members participate in Shaw’s Receipt Rewards Program which helps fund food shelf operations. Two local bakeries frequently donate bread. And for the past two years the Mad River Valley localvore group has sponsored the purchase of locally grown vegetables and this year the food shelf will receive meat and eggs for distribution to their clients.
The MRV Food Shelf is operated with the generous support of volunteers like Nancy Pignatello, Ellen Bruno, Betsey Allen, Helen Gow, Mary Allen, Kathleen Basil and Brenda Cruickshank. And with the help of many other volunteers the MRV Food Shelf has benefited from more than 119 volunteer hours logged at the Vermont Foodbank during Saturday Sortathons. The food shelf earns $2 of credit for each hour volunteered.
On his recent trip to Vermont, Matt Cotar, a representative from America’s Second Harvest, visited the MRV Food Shelf. Matt was impressed with both the dignity and respect extended to the clients as they selected food from the shelves as well as the overall collaborative efforts of the MRV Food Shelf.
The MRV Food Shelf is located at 5308 Main Street in Waitsfield, behind Evergreen Place and is open Tuesdays from 9:30 AM to 12 PM and Thursdays 10 AM to 12PM. 
