More people than ever are seeking assistance from the Meeker Area Food Shelf.
That’s why efforts like the Litchfield Lions Club’s recent one-day food drive mean so much, according to Jayme Revermann, executive director of the local food shelf.
“We have been serving more families than we have in years, so we were running pretty low on things,” Revermann said. “So it’s been such a blessing to have, you know, 2,500 pounds of food to be able to put on the shelves to help the families. It’s been really nice.”
That 2,500 pounds of food — or as Lions Club food drive coordinator Larry Jensen corrected, 2,462 pounds — all was collected during the Litchfield club’s drive in late March, during which members were stationed at Family Fare and Walmart stores from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to accept donations.
In addition to food and nonperishable items donated, club members also received $3,806 in cash donations.
They promoted the drive with appearances on KLFD radio station’s Newsmaker program and other venues, but club members still were somewhat surprised by the overwhelming response.
“I stood out at Walmart, and you won’t believe how nice people are,” Tom Kersting, club member and past food drive coordinator said. “They were thanking me for being there.”
Lions members worked in two-hours shifts. They handed out shopping lists as people entered the stores, which specified items known to be needed by food shelf clients, then accepted donations in shopping carts as shoppers left the stores.
Kersting and Jensen both said the generosity shown by people was remarkable — and memorable. Like the woman who handed a club member 10 $20 bills. Or the truck driver who’d used the Walmart parking lot for an overnight stop, then ventured into the store and made a donation as she left the store.
“She said, ‘Yep, we’re doing the same thing, in Seattle,’” Kersting said. “Or you get the kids who come through and are as proud as can be to put a couple of cans in the grocery cart.”
Revermann said she heard from friends who took their children shopping the day of the drive so they could participate in the effort.
“It’s a good lesson for the children to see, to experience that,” Jensen said.
One of the Lions volunteering an early shift encountered a mother with her children in tow, who told them they’d heard about the food drive on the news.
“The mother had said, we’re going to go out now on Saturday, and we’re going to buy all this stuff, and you’re going to put it in the basket,” Jensen said. “All week long these kids were anticipating going out with Mom to do that. So what a wonderful lesson.”
The Lions have done a one-day food drive for many years, decades actually. Neither Kersting or Jensen could remember exactly when it started, but they were confident that it stretched back at least to the 1990s. The only interruption was 2020 and 2021, when the coronavirus pandemic forced the club to cancel the drive.
“We had club members donate in those years, so we kept up as best we could, but without the actual food drive, it was tough,” Jensen said. “So this year was the first time in three years we could get back and do it, so it was good.”
“And you could tell people were running to give at the stores,” Revermann said. “The amount of food we received, people were generous.”
It was so much that it created extra work at the food shelf, Revermann said, with volunteers needing about 15 hours to put all of the donations on shelves. Work they were happy to have.
In addition, the cash donations, coming in March, which is designated as Food Shelf Month, carried extra weight, because they are matched by Minnesota FoodShare.
One day of giving carries a significant impact, those involved agreed.
“We’ve had a long history with (the food drive),” Jensen said. “It’s been just a wonderful thing, good support. We’re very grateful for the way the community supported the project.”
