Did you know that three times a week up to 100 Rochester families come to Community Food Response (CFR) at Bethel Lutheran Church and receive free bags of food for their families? There is no requirement to qualify for these meals; CFR is simply there to make sure that families in our community don’t go hungry.
The families and individuals who come in are as diverse as the city we live in. They range from young parents to grandparents, and from heads of large households to the elderly who live alone. They all get healthy food to take home. How great is that?
The food they receive is donated by some wonderful local businesses that have agreed to ensure excess prepared food (which normally would be thrown away) is made available to hungry adults and children in Rochester. Several businesses (Hy-Vee, Michaels, Canadian Honker, Great Harvest and Bread Baker, to name a few) have been faithful partners for many years, providing quality food three times each week.
So how does that food get in the hands of those who need it? Since the beginning, volunteers have done all the work at CFR. Some volunteers sign up as individuals or couples to collect food from restaurants, cafeterias, businesses, and supermarkets in town. Other volunteers come in to CFR’s kitchen at Bethel Lutheran to package or distribute it out to the families.
Much of this is done through local churches whose members come in as a group. This has been going on for 17 years in Rochester, without a single paid staff member, and no one has ever been turned away. I choose to share this with you, because sometimes in the midst of economic and political discussions, we loose sight of what we as individuals can and should do to make our own communities a better place to live.
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If you read this and think, "I like the idea of local people and businesses helping local people," then consider helping out. CFR is a great place to give back to your community. If you are interested, you can get more information on volunteering at CFR through the Olmsted County United Way website.
