We are often asked what the most needed items are for the food pantries, and that is a very good question, because it is so important to us that we stock these pantries with nutritious foods, rather than deliver the leftovers from donors. Here is your “Big 8” list of most needed items:
- Canned Meats: Tuna, Chicken, Salmon, Corned Beef, Ham
- Canned Vegetables: Corn, Green Beans, Peas, Mixed Vegetables
- Cereal: Dry cereal, any brand, such as Cheerios, Bran Flakes, Try to avoid sugary/kids cereals. Also, Oatmeal is great in winter!
- Soups: Any kind, but particularly the “hearty” variety
- Fruit: Cans or individual plastic cups, any kind
- Pasta and Pasta Sauce: Any kind of either, but please no glass jars; plastic or cans only!
- Peanut Butter & Jelly: Any Brand, plastic containers only please!
- Macaroni and Cheese: Any Brand, also beans and rice of any variety
Here’s what we do not need: Candy, cookies, sweets and snacks, popcorn, condiments, specialty items (the basic work just fine!), perishable items, toilet articles.
The John S. Mulholland Family Foundation delivers these items each week and augments these items with fresh produce, milk and eggs, meat, fish and poultry, and bread.
And, finally, one last question we get all the time: “I don’t live near JSM or their pantries, how can I help?” Wherever you live, we bet there is a pantry within 5 miles of your home, whether you live in Chevy Chase, Charlottesville, or Clarksburg. For local Washingtonians, there are food pantries throughout the District, Maryland and Virginia. If you can’t find one near you, give us a call at 202.587.5749 and we will tell you where it is located! 15% of all Americans need food assistance, and in our region, that number climbs higher! So, when you are grocery shopping, pick up an item or two from this list and put it aside. Just a little help from everyone goes a long way!