JCP
04-20-2008, 05:37 PM
Oxford Dollar General Promotes Food Pantry
The Dollar General, #11151, may be the “new kid on the block”, but they’re already showing their generosity and good will for the community by helping the Oxford Food Pantry. At the front of the General store, they have been keeping a large bucket for patrons to deposit their non-perishable food items into. The donations have been very generous and the spirit of philanthropy is growing contagious!
Philanthropy is simply donating something for a charitable cause; however, most of us associate it with the likes of Bill Gates or Oprah. Great wealth is not a necessity to be a philanthropist, and for the town of Oxford, making a donation to the Food Pantry can make your spirit rich with generosity.
“This food will do a lot to help fill in gaps on the shelves of the Pantry,” said the Oxford Food Pantry coordinator, Barbara Lawton.
She has been very pleased with the response to the Dollar General’s Food Pantry bucket. Barbara explained that the Food Pantry, operating out of the United Church of Oxford on Fort Hill, is there for the Oxford residents who have food emergencies. Anywhere from two to twelve families/individuals come for food, per day; on average six families.
“We’re always in need of the basics such as juice, applesauce, peanut butter, cooking oil, canned soups/fruits/vegetables, cereals and pancake mix which, thankfully, are some of the many items people have been dropping into the Dollar General’s big blue bucket,” Lawton said.
Marv Hamstra, who helps Barbara at the Oxford Food Pantry said, “The people have been wonderful with their donations. They come into the store, see the bucket when they first walk in, and other shoppers contributing items. Seeing people helping people makes them want that good feeling too, so they buy something to put in the bucket.”
This cycle of philanthropy is growing and helping the community. It’s also a great opportunity for parents to teach a valuable ‘lesson of giving’ to their children. While shopping in the Dollar General, ask your child to pick out a nonperishable canned good or dry food item for a donation, which you will buy. (Nonperishable foods are “shelf-stable” items that do not spoil or decay.)Then let them drop it in the bucket themselves, and explain that their donation will prevent other people from going hungry.
The Oxford Dollar General, located at 1 North Washington Avenue (at the former Great American), opened its doors only four months ago. They have over 8,000 square feet of space filled with all sorts of merchandise such as housewares, seasonal items, cleaning supplies, basic apparel and more. Their merchandise prices are kept low with about a third of the items sold for just $1 or less. They also have food, national and private brands, and plenty of nonperishable food items.
Barbara and Marv thank Sharla Wolcott the Oxford Dollar Store Manager; Ann Marie Smith, Assistant Manager; and all the wonderful staff members who have been so helpful supporting the Oxford Food Pantry.
To contact the Oxford Dollar General call (607) 845- 5497. For more information on the Oxford Food Pantry, contact the United Church of Oxford at (607) 843-5195.
(Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo.)
Caption: Barbara Lawton and Marv Hamstra stand behind the big blue Food Pantry donation bucket in the Dollar General store in Oxford. Catch the ‘spirit of philanthropy’ by donating non-perishable food items to the Food Pantry!
The Dollar General, #11151, may be the “new kid on the block”, but they’re already showing their generosity and good will for the community by helping the Oxford Food Pantry. At the front of the General store, they have been keeping a large bucket for patrons to deposit their non-perishable food items into. The donations have been very generous and the spirit of philanthropy is growing contagious!
Philanthropy is simply donating something for a charitable cause; however, most of us associate it with the likes of Bill Gates or Oprah. Great wealth is not a necessity to be a philanthropist, and for the town of Oxford, making a donation to the Food Pantry can make your spirit rich with generosity.
“This food will do a lot to help fill in gaps on the shelves of the Pantry,” said the Oxford Food Pantry coordinator, Barbara Lawton.
She has been very pleased with the response to the Dollar General’s Food Pantry bucket. Barbara explained that the Food Pantry, operating out of the United Church of Oxford on Fort Hill, is there for the Oxford residents who have food emergencies. Anywhere from two to twelve families/individuals come for food, per day; on average six families.
“We’re always in need of the basics such as juice, applesauce, peanut butter, cooking oil, canned soups/fruits/vegetables, cereals and pancake mix which, thankfully, are some of the many items people have been dropping into the Dollar General’s big blue bucket,” Lawton said.
Marv Hamstra, who helps Barbara at the Oxford Food Pantry said, “The people have been wonderful with their donations. They come into the store, see the bucket when they first walk in, and other shoppers contributing items. Seeing people helping people makes them want that good feeling too, so they buy something to put in the bucket.”
This cycle of philanthropy is growing and helping the community. It’s also a great opportunity for parents to teach a valuable ‘lesson of giving’ to their children. While shopping in the Dollar General, ask your child to pick out a nonperishable canned good or dry food item for a donation, which you will buy. (Nonperishable foods are “shelf-stable” items that do not spoil or decay.)Then let them drop it in the bucket themselves, and explain that their donation will prevent other people from going hungry.
The Oxford Dollar General, located at 1 North Washington Avenue (at the former Great American), opened its doors only four months ago. They have over 8,000 square feet of space filled with all sorts of merchandise such as housewares, seasonal items, cleaning supplies, basic apparel and more. Their merchandise prices are kept low with about a third of the items sold for just $1 or less. They also have food, national and private brands, and plenty of nonperishable food items.
Barbara and Marv thank Sharla Wolcott the Oxford Dollar Store Manager; Ann Marie Smith, Assistant Manager; and all the wonderful staff members who have been so helpful supporting the Oxford Food Pantry.
To contact the Oxford Dollar General call (607) 845- 5497. For more information on the Oxford Food Pantry, contact the United Church of Oxford at (607) 843-5195.
(Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo.)
Caption: Barbara Lawton and Marv Hamstra stand behind the big blue Food Pantry donation bucket in the Dollar General store in Oxford. Catch the ‘spirit of philanthropy’ by donating non-perishable food items to the Food Pantry!