Mobile pantry delivers to Seaford’s Meadowbridge Apartments
January 31, 2023
Clear blue skies and sunshine deceived folks from Seaford’s Meadowbridge Apartments waiting for the 11 a.m. start of Food Bank of Delaware’s mobile pantry last Thursday; the cold wind blew sharply through the neighborhood. Many wished they had worn a winter coat instead of a lighter-weight jacket.
This pantry was hosted by Seaford Community of Hope program under the auspices of Children & Families First Delaware, and about 80 families were expected. Each received chicken, tuna, and haddock, plus fresh produce, rice, and baked goods.
The not-for-profit agency will bring a mobile pantry to this community on the fourth Thursday of every month, and to Chandler Heights – another Seaford neighborhood — on Jan. 31, Feb. 28 and March 28.
The program’s team leader and supervisor, Midline Oware, explains that Seaford Community of Hope provides wrap-around services and family resources to residents in subsidized housing communities. For example, in addition to food pantries, Seaford Community of Hope hosts a monthly $1 dinner at the Western Seaford Boys & Girls Club. For $1 a person, a family can enjoy a full dinner – appetizer, entrée, and dessert – topped off by an educational guest speaker. There are also special activities planned for children offered regularly on-site at community clubhouses.
Although Thursday’s pantry drew a significant turnout, perhaps due to the inflationary economy, Oware says she and her agency’s staff are challenged to “get engagement. Our goal is to increase financial stability and improve economic mobility through financial and parenting education, but we know we’re dealing with generations of trauma and poverty. It takes time,” she said. “We’re making progress, but food access looks different to everybody.”
Visit www.fbd.org to learn more about Food Bank of Delaware programs, and www.cffde.org to learn more about Children & Families First Delaware. Email chartia.fountail@cffde.org to register for a Healthy Community Dollar Dinner.
