PHOTO BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
C.A.S.T… Volunteers with C.A.S.T., Caring And Sharing Together, gather during the group’s monthly food pantry distribution in Metamora on Wednesday, April 15. The community effort helps provide food and support to local families through donations and volunteer service.
By: Jacob Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jacob@thevillagereporter.com
C.A.S.T., which stands for Caring and Sharing Together, continued its mission of helping local residents during a food pantry distribution held Wednesday, April 15, in Metamora.
The community effort operates through the Methodist Church as a 501(c)(3) and relies heavily on donations and volunteer support.
Organizers said the pantry is supported not only through access to the Toledo food banks, but also through steady help from area churches, community members, and local donation drop-off points. Donations may be left at the library, the bank, and participating churches.
Volunteer Cheryl Geer said the pantry serves more than 40 families each month during its regular distribution, which is held on the third Wednesday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon.
While the pantry is intended primarily to serve those in the Evergreen School District, Geer said they are focused first and foremost on helping people who need food. Those who qualify register through a statewide system, allowing the pantry to track how many residents are being served.
From there, families are able to shop for items based on household size and available inventory.
Rather than simply handing out prepacked food boxes, C.A.S.T. allows visitors to choose many of the items they receive.
Volunteers guide them through the pantry and help them select food based on what is available, including items such as meat and pantry staples.
Organizers said the variety of food on hand often depends on what has been donated by the community. Local support, they said, makes a major difference in what the pantry can provide month after month.
In addition to church support, individual residents also contribute money and food to help keep the program going. Some donors regularly give funds to help purchase meat and other needed items, while others call volunteers directly when they have donations to offer.
Organizers said the effort has become a true community wide project built on neighbors helping neighbors. Volunteers from several churches also assist during distributions and with loading food into vehicles for those who come to the pantry.
For those involved, the reason for serving is simple. Volunteers said there is a need in the community, and they feel called to help meet it.
They added that many of the people who come through the pantry are senior citizens, making the service even more meaningful.
Organizers said they feel blessed to be able to continue the work and are grateful for the many hands that help make it possible.
