Our Daily Bread seeks donations, volunteers

HAMLET — One Richmond County food bank is asking for contributions from the community in products and manpower.

Mari Bennett, director of Our Daily Bread in Rockingham, addressed the Hamlet City Council on Tuesday on the deeds of the pantry.

Bennett said the number of people coming into Our Daily Bread has increased by 100-150 over the past year.

“It’s a big jump up,” Bennett said. “We have new folks that are coming in that need assistance.”

Our Daily Bread is serving around 365 families and more than 1,000 individuals each month, with limited resources from the government, according to Bennett, who added she foresees those resources being even more limited due to recent devastating storms.

The food bank is a partnering agency with United Way of Richmond County and receives a quarterly donation. Our Daily Bread has also been the recipient of federal emergency funds, as well as grants from the Food Lion Feeds Foundation and the Duke Energy Foundation.

Bennett said there are a number of local churches that provide monthly contributions in money or food.

One box of food for a family is around $25 and a “homeless bag” — “which we are seeing five to eight the days we are open” — is $8.

“The math on that’s pretty high,” Bennett said. “We do what we can, we give them what we can. When we run thin, we purchase, of course, and fill in the blanks as much as we can.

Bennett said the food bank is in need of donations of canned and dry foods, including canned meat, macaroni and cheese, canned corn, canned greens, dry beans and rice.

“If we’re going to supply the community with what they say they need and what the state says is a healthy box to feed them, we need a little extra help and some folks to kinda pitch in and get active with our mission that’s been going on for more than 20 years,” Bennett said.

When it comes to volunteers, Bennett said she is the only one of the regulars who can lift a box weighing more than 50 pounds, and drive a forklift and box truck.

The oldest volunteer is 94 years old and the average age is 75, according to Bennett.

“And I welcome anyone who is interested in coming and joining, if it’s an hour or three days a week,” Bennett said.

For those who have been coming in for years, Bennett said she is wanting to work with them and try to get them in “the right direction” so they don’t need assistance anymore.

“The ones that really need us, we’re there for and we’re happy to help them,” Bennett added.

As she approached the podium to speak, Bennett apologized for how she was dressed, saying she had been loading trucks for relief efforts in Western North Carolina. Our Daily Bread made its third delivery on Wednesday.

Bennett said no local resources are being diverted for relief efforts.

Interim City Manager Lane Bailey said City Hall is collecting food for both Our Daily Bread and the areas affected by Hurricane Helene.

“A number of our employees helped Our Daily Bread with the United Way Day(s) of Caring,” Bailey said.

“One concern we have is that the situation in Western North Carolina is so bad, people may forget about the needs we have here in Richmond County,” Bailey said, “and we want folks to do both where they can.”

Councilwoman Abbie Covington agreed with the premonition of diminishing resources.

“State resources that traditionally feed our food banks …their resources are going to dry up because they’re going to get diverted so…you won’t be able to access your normal resources,” Covington said.

Bennett said she was trying to make new connections so Our Daily Bread has other resources to pull from.

Our Daily Bread is open Tuesday-Thursday from 9:30 a.m.-noon. For more information or to donate or volunteer, call 910-895-3536