First UU Church of San Diego
  • Home
  • Worship
    • Messages
    • Online Worship
    • Participate in a Service
    • Principles & Sources
  • Connections
    • Welcome Newcomers! > >
      • Visiting First UU
      • What is UUism?
      • Become a Member
    • Groups from A-Z > >
      • Affinity Groups
      • Archives
      • Art Guild
      • Looking Glass Theatre
      • Meditation
      • Men's Fellowship >
        • UUMF Renewal Registration
      • Neighborhood Groups
      • UU Seniors
      • Wisdom Circles
    • Member Networking
    • Right Relations
    • Listening Circles
  • Music
    • Vocal Ensembles
    • Handbell Ensemble
  • Education
    • Children's RE > >
      • Family Ministry Library
      • Children's RE Registration
    • Adult Faith Formation
    • Family Ministry > >
      • All Church Camp
    • Youth Programs
    • Young Adult & Campus Ministry
    • Our Whole Lives (OWL)
    • SD Co-op Preschool
  • Programs
    • Front Street Productions
    • Caring
    • Food Pantry
    • Larger UU Connections > >
      • Denominational Relations
      • Friends of De Benneville Pines
      • Philippines Partner Church
      • Transylvania Partner Church
      • UU Service Committee
    • Leadership Development
    • Social Justice > >
      • Social Justice Executive Team
      • Climate Justice
      • Generosity Offerings
      • Organizing for Justice
      • Palestine-Israel Justice Group
      • Rainbow Action
      • Reproductive Justice
      • Sanctuary
      • SOLACE
      • Uptown Community Service Center
    • Ushering
  • Giving
    • Donations > >
      • Pledging
      • Planned Giving
      • Donate Your Vehicle
      • Donate Flowers
    • Dining for Dollars D4$
    • Shop and Support!
  • News
    • Blog
    • The Window - Weekly Bulletin
    • First Words Magazine
  • About
    • About First UU
    • For Members > >
      • Member's Login
      • Board Login
    • Hillcrest Campus
    • South Bay Campus
    • Our Ministers
    • Our Staff
    • Calendar
    • Our Sustainable Future
    • Facilities >
      • Facilities Overview
      • Ceremonies
      • Facilities Use Request Form
    • Forms
    • Governance > >
      • Article II
      • 8th Principle
      • Journey Toward Wholeness >
        • Black History Month
      • Strategic Planning > >
        • Funding our Future
        • Visioning The Future
      • Our History
      • 150th Celebrationn
  • Contact
    • Ministers and Staff
    • Website Feedback Form
    • MAG Contact Form
    • Privacy and Terms

BLOG

What's In That Bag?

5/24/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
by Rhea Kuhlman, South Bay Food Pantry Volunteer.
At the South Bay Food Pantry, we never know until the last minute what kinds of fresh produce we’ll receive from the San Diego Food Bank and Feeding San Diego, or how much meat or bread will be available for our families on Saturday.  But one thing we can always be sure of is that the bags of shelf stable goods the mid-week baggers put together every week will contain good healthy food that can keep a family going, regardless of what else is available.  The SBFB always keeps on hand stores of non-perishable items to supplement the fresh and frozen items we distribute each Saturday

Every bag contains some sort of protein, such as dried beans or lentils or peanut butter.  Sometimes there are cans of tuna, or individual serving packets of chicken.  There’s usually a starch, maybe rice or pasta, with some sort of tasty sauce to go along with it.  For breakfast, there are bags of oatmeal or some other healthy cereal product – and sometimes even boxes of raisins to go with them!  Finally, we’re always sure to include cans of vegetables and fruit. This time of year, there are usually plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables to distribute, but in the wintertime these fresh items may be in short supply, and the canned varieties ensure families will still have access to varied and nutritious food whatever the season.

So how do the bags get packed?  Team leader Dan Ratelle has a magic online spreadsheet where folks can sign up to pack bags at a time that’s convenient to them.  Teams consist of two to four people who check Deirdre Lonergan’s instructions for what’s to go in the bags, and how many bags to pack.  Deirdre bases her estimates on how many families showed up the week before, and lately there have been a lot.  
We arrange cases of each item on the long table in the middle of the room and set up a mini assembly line and start packing.  Our team likes to turn on some lively music and rock out to Motown or Disco, which keeps us peppy for the hour or two we’re packing bags.  With the recent increase in the cost of food and gas, there’s been a concomitant increase in the number of families needing help, so we now have two teams a week packing bags.  The bags are stored in huge bins near the front door, ready to be handed out on Saturday.

Although some of us mid-week baggers never get to meet the folks this food is intended for, there’s a great feeling of satisfaction when we turn out the lights and lock the door at the end of our shift, knowing that some family will have a week of healthy meals because of our efforts.  And the bonus is getting to work and chat with other dedicated UUs that we might not get to see otherwise!

With summer on its way, travel plans will diminish our supply of volunteer workers. Want to join the party?  Contact volunteer extraordinaire Deirdre Lonergan, [email protected], and rock on!
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    What's New?

    The First UU Church of San Diego blog is your resource for upcoming events and past event recaps. Leave us a comment to let us know what you think!

    Categories

    All
    150th Celebration
    Aging
    Announcements
    Art & Collectibles Auction
    Black Lives Matter
    Board Of Trustees
    Camp De Benneville Pines
    Careers
    Climate Change
    Climate Justice
    COVID Caring
    Democracy In Action
    Dining For Dollar$
    Events
    First UU History
    First Words Stories
    Food Pantry
    Free Family Friendly Events
    Front Street Productions
    General Assembly
    Gun Violence
    Holiday Events
    Holiday Greetings
    Immigrants Rights
    Intercultural Workshops
    International Women's Day
    Journey Towards Wholeness
    JTW
    Kids Activities
    LGBTQIA
    Marriage Equality
    Meditation Mondays
    Meet A Volunteer
    Minister Letters
    On The Side Of Love
    OSF
    Partner Churches
    Pledge Drive
    Press Releases
    Racial Justice
    Religious Education
    Reopening Team
    Rev. Alix Klingenberg
    Rev. Carolyn Owen Towle
    Rev. Carolyn Owen-Towle
    Rev. Everett Howe
    Rev. Ian Riddell
    Rev. Jennifer Channin
    Rev. Justine Sullivan
    Rev. Kathleen Owens
    Rev. Omega Burckhardt
    Rev. Tania Marquez
    Rev. Tom Owen-Towle
    Sabbatical Notes
    Sanctuary
    Social Justice Actions
    South Bay Campus
    Staying Connected
    Stevie Carmody
    Unitarian Universalism 101
    UU Parenting
    UUs In Action
    UU Women
    Visioning The Future
    Volunteer Opportunities

    Archives

    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    July 2024
    May 2024
    March 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    August 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    April 2017
    December 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    January 2016
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    October 2014
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    May 2012
    March 2012
    March 2011
    October 2010
    September 2008
    June 2002

    RSS Feed

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
(619) 298-9978  |  Staff Directory
We have two campuses:
Hillcrest campus: 4190 Front Street, San Diego, CA. 92103  |  South Bay campus: 970 Broadway, Chula Vista, CA. 91911
  For GPS to our Hillcrest Campus, please use 298 W Arbor Dr., San Diego, CA 92103
For detailed directions, parking and more see our Contact page.
Picture
©First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego. All rights reserved. Admin.
  • Home
  • Worship
    • Messages
    • Online Worship
    • Participate in a Service
    • Principles & Sources
  • Connections
    • Welcome Newcomers! > >
      • Visiting First UU
      • What is UUism?
      • Become a Member
    • Groups from A-Z > >
      • Affinity Groups
      • Archives
      • Art Guild
      • Looking Glass Theatre
      • Meditation
      • Men's Fellowship >
        • UUMF Renewal Registration
      • Neighborhood Groups
      • UU Seniors
      • Wisdom Circles
    • Member Networking
    • Right Relations
    • Listening Circles
  • Music
    • Vocal Ensembles
    • Handbell Ensemble
  • Education
    • Children's RE > >
      • Family Ministry Library
      • Children's RE Registration
    • Adult Faith Formation
    • Family Ministry > >
      • All Church Camp
    • Youth Programs
    • Young Adult & Campus Ministry
    • Our Whole Lives (OWL)
    • SD Co-op Preschool
  • Programs
    • Front Street Productions
    • Caring
    • Food Pantry
    • Larger UU Connections > >
      • Denominational Relations
      • Friends of De Benneville Pines
      • Philippines Partner Church
      • Transylvania Partner Church
      • UU Service Committee
    • Leadership Development
    • Social Justice > >
      • Social Justice Executive Team
      • Climate Justice
      • Generosity Offerings
      • Organizing for Justice
      • Palestine-Israel Justice Group
      • Rainbow Action
      • Reproductive Justice
      • Sanctuary
      • SOLACE
      • Uptown Community Service Center
    • Ushering
  • Giving
    • Donations > >
      • Pledging
      • Planned Giving
      • Donate Your Vehicle
      • Donate Flowers
    • Dining for Dollars D4$
    • Shop and Support!
  • News
    • Blog
    • The Window - Weekly Bulletin
    • First Words Magazine
  • About
    • About First UU
    • For Members > >
      • Member's Login
      • Board Login
    • Hillcrest Campus
    • South Bay Campus
    • Our Ministers
    • Our Staff
    • Calendar
    • Our Sustainable Future
    • Facilities >
      • Facilities Overview
      • Ceremonies
      • Facilities Use Request Form
    • Forms
    • Governance > >
      • Article II
      • 8th Principle
      • Journey Toward Wholeness >
        • Black History Month
      • Strategic Planning > >
        • Funding our Future
        • Visioning The Future
      • Our History
      • 150th Celebrationn
  • Contact
    • Ministers and Staff
    • Website Feedback Form
    • MAG Contact Form
    • Privacy and Terms