Beans and Rice is a community economic development organization who's philosophy is to meet the community needs. Part of our philosophy is to listen to the community. We did not set out to be a hunger relief agency but right now we are moving deeper and deeper in to just that.
In July the Radford Rotary Club applied for a 50/50 matching grant to district Rotary to help develop a weekend food for kids backpack project. In August they were awarded $3000.00 from District Rotary which the local club must match. The funds will provide weekend food to children enrolled in our after school program which serves close to 60 children at McHarg and Belle Heth Elementary Schools.
After some comparison shopping we've settled on Walmart as the food source and are buying by the case. There are parameters on the food that we put in the backpacks that make shopping a little interesting. The food must be in child size portions, easy to open with little or no preparation, and need no refrigeration. A major concern is this. If an older sibling or adult is required to prepare the food or has access, they will take the food for themselves. This really limits some options. We have set up an ordering system with Walmart. Pam Linkous in Groceries has been so very helpful in setting up the system that is easiest for us and Walmart.
This past week we received our first delivery. Linton Leary, treasurer of Radford Rotary and owner of New River Rental, met me at Walmart with a truck. His son Sam met us at our office with a fork lift to get the food off the truck. Why a fork lift? There was a whole palette of food.
Linton with the palette of food that shifted in the truck.
Sam got the palette down with Linton keeping it from sliding
Keeping track of this food is quite a challenge. Since we are buying by the case, we have s sheet with units per case, a sheet with inventory of all loose units and all case units, and a sheet with bar codes to order from.
Right now part of the office looks like a food storage facility. All purchasing and inventory control is being done by me and Kendra.
Back packs for McHarg were provided by Highlander Helpers, a club at Radford University started by Victoria Sabin. Additional backpacks are being sought by the Radford University Soccer Club under the guidance of Coach Mark Reeve. Every Thursday members of the Radford Rotary Club and the Radford University Social Work Club are packing 50 plus backpacks with 8-9 items, including: fruit cups, applesauce cups, two past/meat/vegetable bowls, a snack pack of raisins, granola bars, fat free pudding cups, 100% juice boxes and Gatorade. Beans and Rice After School Staff get the backpacks to the schools. RSVP volunteers are helping distribute the backpacks on Thursday afternoons at the end of the program as well as some RU student volunteers.
From left to right we see Anne Churchill from Radford Rotary, Leitisha Walker RU Social Work Club, Mark Tapp Radford Rotary, Russell Churchill President Radford Rotary, and Jessica Rose President RU Social Work Club.
