Debbie Blake from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation shows off the dam of food the agency built out of donated food during the 2015 Feds Feed Families Food Drive.
Volunteer federal employees are holding their “Feds Feed Families” 2017 food drive through Aug. 31. Donated food will benefit hungry families in Carson City through the Ron Wood Family Resource Center and Friends In Service Helping. This year’s theme is “United Against Hunger,” and the goal is to donate 4,000 pounds of food to local food banks.
Anyone wishing to donate canned and nonperishable goods to the food drive can drop them off at Ron Wood Family Resource Center Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and at FISH Monday and through Friday from 9-5. Please note donations are to the Feds Feed Families food drive.
“Canned meats, tuna, peanut butter, those are excellent protein sources for our families,” said Susan Raty, manager of the Ron Wood Pantry. “Canned chili and dry goods like rice and beans are good as well. Some of the hungry in our community do not have cooking access, so small self-serve items are good as well.”
Call Raty at 775-884-2269, ext. 107.
Liz Patterson, the FISH distribution manager, said their pantry is in great need. “This is a time when food donations are low,” Patterson said. “In fact our meat freezer is empty right now, and that is quite unusual.”
Patterson can be reached at 775-882-3474, ext. 109.
Both pantry managers say in addition to food donations, they also need volunteers year round to assist with donations and distribution.
Linda Marrone, the Carson City Farmer’s Market Manager, is coordinating fresh produce donations from the Carson City Farmer’s Market for the fourth year. Public donations for fresh produce can be made at the Third Street Saturday Farmers Market in Carson City on Aug. 19 and Aug. 26. Those who donate are eligible to win a market raffle prize.
Participating agencies can enter the Can-struction Challenge to build a canned food object or installation representing their agency. The Can-struction portion of the food drive will be judged Sept. 1 by food pantry managers. To enter the competition contact Pam Angelo at 687-1204. The winning agency will receive a pizza party. In 2015 the Carson City Bureau of Reclamation employees built the Tahoe Dam, U.S. Geological Survey staff built a stream gauge monitoring station, and USDA Rural Development employees built “CAN-Town.”