Hustling and bustling between buggies full of food, tables overflowing with all manner of good eats, volunteers running from place to place, and clients loading up their cars, the Cargill Cares Food Pantry was a lively but well-managed den of activity Thursday.
The couple who has been running the food pantry for about two years now is Max and Sherry Wachter.
Even if you haven't registered with Barbara Mennering before you stop by for the first time, folks can still leave with a wide variety of food available at the food pantry.
"We won't send you away empty-handed," Wachter said. "We don't want people to have to make a decision between food and their medicines."
Depending on household size, folks can get up to four bags of food for each monthly visit. The food pantry has been helping around 330 households a month from Moniteau and some surrounding counties. People can go to any county food pantry they want, but only to one. Homebound delivery can also be arranged.
But it is fairly simple to register. Just talk with Mennering and provide her with some information, such as your Social Security number, proof of address and income/household size verification.
"We encourage people with a need to come in," said Sherry Wachter, assistant and wife to Max Wachter. "Everyone has had a need at one point or another."
The biggest issue the Wachters have is how to get the word out to people to let them know the food pantry is open and that food is available for area folks.
"We have people who don't know about us," he said, sadly. "A lot of letting people know about us is only through word of mouth."
In addition to used egg cartons and plastic bags, the food pantry is always also in need of volunteers.
For more information, contact the Wachters at Cargill Cares Food Pantry at 303 Latham Road, by phone at 573-291-1397, or by email at [email protected]. Also, check the newspaper's calendar for times and dates when the pantry is open.
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2016 Cargill Cares Food Pantry Schedule
July 7, 8, 14, 15, 21 and 22 from 3-5 p.m. and July 16 from 9-11 a.m.
Aug. 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 and 19 from 3-5 p.m. and Aug. 20 from 9-11 a.m.
Sept. 1, 2, 8, 9, 15 and 16 from 3-5 p.m. and Sept. 17 from 9-11 a.m.
Oct. 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21 from 3-5 p.m. and Oct. 15 from 9-11 a.m.
Nov. 3, 4, 10, 11, 17 and 18 from 3-5 p.m. and Nov. 19 from 9-11 a.m.
Dec. 1, 2, 8, 9, 15 and 16 from 3-5 p.m. and Dec. 17 from 9-11 a.m.