Osseo faith brings new food program to area
by Bridget Cooke
Self-described as “America’s Rural Food Bank,” the Ruby’s Pantry organization is a group that works to ensure surplus food from big corporations is not wasted and instead redistributed to those who may have trouble making their dollars stretch to cover a grocery bill.
Julie Garber, who has helped bring the program to the United Church of Christ in Osseo, said the faith-based program is a way to help anyone interested in saving money when they purchase food items.
“I had been praying and hoping there would be a way for our church to reach out beyond our walls,” she said. “This seemed like it’d be a very good opportunity.”
Ruby’s Pantry will be set up in Osseo every second Tuesday of the month from 4:30-6 p.m. at the church.
The program came to the church when a representative of Ruby’s Pantry stopped at a local Lutheran church, who were not as interested in taking on a project, but were able to make the connection between the organization and Pastor Les Munnik, who serves the Osseo UCC.
“It is all just a faith-based volunteer donation of $20,” Garber said. “I just think it helps provide food for people that they don’t have to pay full price for. I’m hoping to provide people with nutritious, good food that maybe that they wouldn’t be able to get. I’m hoping to help people.”
From there, it grew and now they are happy to be serving the area. On Tuesday, Dec. 9, the church hosted their first pantry event. The program began when people came together and attempted to gather items to take on missionaries, but instead retained food items and knew they could not take the donated items with them.
Ideas grew from there and now the group has ties to several Midwestern states. Referred to as The Blessing Box, a specific grouping of food is placed as a unit to give to those coming through the line at any Ruby’s Pantry. A $20 donation is given by the guest and they receive a variety of surplus food, which Garber referred to as “not seconds, just surplus,” in an effort to negate the negative image of it being items normally thrown away. She also mentioned it could be a number of things, which change from month to month.
“They give you much more than the $20 value,” Garber said. “Some people just come through and buy some units and will deliver the food to people they know can’t get out to Ruby’s Pantry, but know could really use it.”
There is also a method set up for people visiting to purchase donation certificates for others.
Every month a truck will come to the Osseo church and will provide the volunteers, some 50-60 people, with the materials to set up and prepare for visitors. Operations are carried through according to guidelines given by the organization.
According to the Ruby’s Pantry organization, the program has distributed over 9 million pounds of food to over 100,000 families.
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In September 2013, Cooke was hired as the editor of both the Augusta Area Times and the Tri-County News. She can be reached via ateditor@media-md.net or (715) 597-3313. Follow us on Twitter or check out our Facebook page for more updates!
