Spreading Love and Peanut Butter

by Linda McMillian

NORTH FULTON, GA — It is both a child's lunch and a quick meal for many of us in the United States. But what if you went to the kitchen cabinet to pull out the peanut butter and it wasn't there? Not because you forgot to purchase a jar on your last grocery run, but because you could not afford to purchase peanut butter. Or jelly.

Now, imagine it was your very hungry child waiting for that peanut butter sandwich. Thousands of residents in North Fulton don't have to imagine the scenario because they are currently living it.

The pandemic has made unemployment, major medical bills, and family emergencies into contingencies that can turn, what were previously temporary conditions, into serious food shortages for entire families.

A large number of North Fulton residents work in the service industry and in the travel sector. Both types of businesses have been significantly sidelined because of COVID-19. The resulting unemployment has left thousands of our neighbors without the ability to purchase food and other staples.

The need is there, now more than ever. The real question, for members of the Roswell Stake (diocese) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was how to help with the problem.

Camie Christensen, Stake Young Women's President, provided insight: “As a Stake Youth Committee, we normally work with the youth on planning large events for the youth to gather and fellowship together. Each member of the committee is a representative from their congregation and the committee is intended to be a youth-lead group, giving high school students the opportunity to learn important leadership and communication skills.

“But with the current environment of COVID, we weren't going to be able to gather in large groups this fall for the type of events we normally plan. And we are also aware of the many challenges facing individuals and families in our community.

“So we decided to begin our year with the youth committee by planning a stake-wide service project. We partnered with North Fulton Community Charities. NFCC shared that peanut butter and jelly were two items of high need that they had a hard time keeping in stock due to high demand.”

On October 3rd, the youth group delivered an estimated 1500 lbs. of donated peanut butter and jelly collected from Church members throughout the Roswell Georgia Stake.

“The youth did an amazing job collecting peanut butter and jelly and not only did they deliver it but they unloaded it too!”, according to Mel Fortin, Director of Food Pantry Services at North Fulton Community Charities. (The local nonprofit provides food and other essentials to needy families in our area.)

“Right now when we are seeing children at home and not receiving school lunch and breakfast we are seeing a bigger demand for peanut butter and jelly from our families so this was great timing. We also see our seniors order it quite a bit because it is easy for them to make plus it is a great protein.”

Fortin explained that the current food situational needs are fluid and the facility adapts to meet those needs as necessary.

See: (https://nfcchelp.org/food-bank/)

Current items in high-need at the food bank include:

• All Tomato Products
• Canned Vegetables (not green beans)
• Peanut Butter
• Jelly
• Canned Tuna/Chicken
• Canned Beans (Black, Red, White, Pork, Chili)
• Pasta
• Toothpaste
• Shampoo

For more information about food pantry needs and how you can help contact Mel Fortin: mfortin@nfcchelp.org.