Food boxes available to those in need through Grant United Methodists

The food box distribution program, operated out of the Methodist Church in Grant, continues to provide food for those in need, and all who feel they need the aid are encouraged to take advantage of the program.

Diana Pankonin, the community liason for the Perkins County Ministerial Association which runs the local food pantry, said they have increased the number of individuals they serve in the area, and they can continue to help more if people need the assistance.

“When I first started this, we were giving out about 25 boxes once a month,” she said.

These 25 boxes would feed about 90 individuals. Now, Pankonin estimates the food box distribution program is feeding up to 3,200 lately. This doesn’t mean 3,200 separate people, she explained, because some people come to get each box and would be counted each time.

Fortunately, the CARES Act signed last year has been providing money to food banks, which will continue until June, and has helped cover the increase in demand.

“We’re not having to buy the food right now unless the truck is short, and then I’ll go to Hatch’s and pick up something a little special for it that fills in the cracks,” Pankonin said.

The food boxes come in two different regular shipments, one every Tuesday and one that comes every two weeks.

Each Tuesday, the Cash-Wa truck arrives at 4:30 a.m. to deliver 84 boxes of produce and 84 gallons of milk. The items from this truck are available at a first come, first serve basis according to Pankonin.

Pankonin recommends people come in between 6 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. to pick up food. She noted there are people from Venango and Madrid who pick up boxes and bring them to their respective towns.

“I would love to have somebody from Elsie start coming and delivering, because we’re not catching that end of the county very well at all,” Pankonin added.

She also noted Raymond Walrod and Joyce Hightower bring boxes from the Cash-Wa truck to Sunset Haven, where folks can choose what they’d like from the boxes before sending the surplus back to the church.

“We’ve only ran out of boxes one time in the last two months, so there’s plenty of opportunity for more people to pick up boxes on Tuesday mornings,” Pankonin said.

The other food delivery comes from the Food Bank of the Heartland in Omaha, and pickup rules are a little different from those for the Cash-Wa truck.

Pankonin makes an order with the Food Bank of the Heartland a week in advance, and the truck comes every other week.

There is not one particular day the delivery arrives each time, so it is important to keep up with the food box delivery information on the Perkins County Food Distribution Facebook page.

When the announcement is made that the “big truck” will be coming, a Sign-Up Genius link is also posted for those interested in picking up food.

Pankonin said people used to be able to just come at whatever time they please, but due to Covid restrictions, they have had to alter their operations slightly.

Now, people can use Sign-Up Genius to book a time slot to come in and pick up food. Six people are allowed in the church every 15 minutes. Though this is a Covid precaution, Pankonin thinks they will continue this format even after precautions are no longer needed.

Individuals who help unload the food truck are able to get their first pick of the food.

Pankonin said the Mennonite community, people from most of the local churches and Rotary have always been a big help when it comes to helping get the food out and taken care of.

When there are leftovers from the Food Bank of the Heartland truck, she said the Mennonite community takes the surplus to give to local food pantries.

One thing Pankonin stresses is that “you don’t need to be destitute” to get the food.

“There’s no stigma to it, you don’t have to be under a certain income level or anything like that,” she said. “There’s no questions asked. You just come if you think you need it. It’s kind of my catch phrase that when you need something it’s between you and God. If you’re good with it and you think God’s good with it, that’s all we need.”

A big change that Pankonin isn’t quite happy with is the program only serves those within county lines now.

Imperial has now set up their own food box program, so people that once had to travel to Grant for food are able to get some locally. However, Ogallala does not have their own food box program, so those from Keith County who would travel to Grant are no longer able to pick up a box.

“I have always said hunger doesn’t stop at the county line,” Pankonin said, but unfortunately she was instructed to only serve those within Perkins County in the future.

To receive updates on future food box deliveries or to find out how to volunteer, join the Perkins County Food Distribution Facebook group. Food box pickup is at the Grant United Methodist church on 5th and Warren, at the northeast corner of the church.

**CORRECTION: The Ogallala Rotary Club has been partnering with Hot Meals USA to distribute food baskets, so there is food distribution available in Chase County and Ogallala.