Service to Others and Blessings to You
By Leslye Hardie, Wilson-based mother of the 1996 baby Jesus in St. John’s nativity play and his older brother, a multi-year shepherd, volunteer, family accountant and board member who likes to keep friends, family and community members well fed.
For six years, I have volunteered at the Jackson Cupboard. During this time, I have seen countless people with different stories visit us. When they see what is available to them free of charge, they become very emotional. A car repair, cancer, a fall from a roof for a construction worker, a deported spouse, a sick child, an addiction struggle–all these things and more can send a formerly stable family or individual straight into food insecurity.
The gratitude is not short-lived from the community members we serve. Many of our former clients become contributors once they get back on their feet. I am blessed to be one part of a regular crew of 3 volunteers on Wednesday and as a bonus, we have become the closest of friends through our common mission. We have consistent clients who visit us every week. Over the years, we have built relationships and come to think of them as family. We learn about problems at home or with jobs or sick children and check on them as they return each week. We celebrate women who have graduated from the Climb Wyoming program and cheer when someone has beaten cancer. We care. We have clients who show up and collect an insignificant amount of food while admitting that they simply come to visit because they could use a little company–they often need a bit of care, too. We are all so grateful to St. John’s for the space and the ministry to make this a reality.
The Library Snack Program is also part of this outreach headed up by the amazing Ed Schmitt. I am a committed shopper and delivery person as one of many wonderful volunteers that make this happen every week. On one delivery, I dropped the snacks off at the library and heard a story. It was of a young boy in the after-school program who was lightly scolded for eating so many crackers, which he described as the best thing he had ever eaten. The library attendant warned that too many snacks might ruin his dinner. The boy said that what he eats at the library after school is his dinner.
Food insecurity is a real problem in this expensive town and the Cupboard goes a long way to address the need. As a complete bonus, this perfectly good food is kept out of the landfill and so reduces waste in our community. Keep us in mind if you leave your home for months or decide to go vegetarian and have some perfectly good chicken stock in your own cupboard.
If you would like to see lives changed in our community, I encourage you to volunteer at the Cupboard by calling them (Rachel at 699-2163) or visiting the website at jacksoncupboard.org.
You might change lives. In fact, I know you will.
