FBLA TBL February 22 - 11

SERVICE
HIGHLIGHTS
The FBLA Social media Ambassador team highlights service across the country
What Food Banks
Truly Look For
By Amna Kazmi
Franklin High School, NJ
s the New Year begins, many of
us begin think about how we
want to make the year ahead
impactful, many focusing on
giving back to the community.
Whether you are donating to your local
food bank, signing up to help with
meal serving, or sending cards to your
local community members, the feeling
of giving back is one that is unmatched.
When it comes to donations, many plan
to give away only whatever canned
goods we can find lying around in our
pantry. All too often, we don't really
stop to think about what food banks
truly need and utilize on a daily basis.
One of the best ways to find out
what your local food bank needs is to
ask them!
Contacting the nearest food bank
is one of the easiest ways to find out
exactly what they could use and how
much of it they will utilize and appreciate.
Often food banks will ask
for products other than food, such as
dish detergent and feminine hygiene
products. I recently took the time to
search the website of one of my local
food banks, Trenton Soup Kitchen
(TASK), for insight into what some of its
most donated products are and what
products TASK hopes to receive more
of throughout the year.
On the website, there is a " Way To
Give " section, which is updated every
couple months based on TASK's
needs. For the months of NovemberFebruary,
the soup kitchen outlines
exactly what it needs in three separate
departments: Winter Items, Food Pantry
Items, and Personal Care Items. For
FEBRUARY 2022 | 9 |
the Winter Items department, TASK ask
for products including gloves, sweatshirts,
winter hats, and rain ponchos,
requesting that everything be either
men's or unisex. In the Food Pantry
section, TASK requests canned goods,
such as soups or vegetables, as well as
coffee, tomato sauce, granola bars, and
other snacks. Pay attention to the types
of cans you select, many now come
with a built in tab, eliminating the need
for a can opener. Lastly, in the Personal
Care section, TASK lists everyday
hygiene products, such as deodorant,
bars of soap, disposable razors, and nail
clippers. The soup kitchen's website
also notes that if someone wishes to
donate something that isn't listed,
they are welcome to call and ask if that
donation would be helpful.
Another great and easy way to help
your local food bank is to donate cash
or checks.
Although many don't think of this at
first, this method allows your local food
bank to purchase anything they might
be missing, in bulk. When your monetary
donation is used to make a bulk
purchase, the food bank may be able to
buy goods at a discount, because they
may be eligible for volume discounts.
Such an arrangement makes your
donation go even further in helping
those in need.
No matter what method you
choose, donating to a local food bank
can be extremely rewarding. We must
continue to keep in mind what they
might need rather than focusing on
what might be most convenient for
ourselves. Starting out by calling the
food bank, stopping by, or simply
checking its website are all good ways
to ensure that our donations will do the
most good for the greatest number.
FBLA TBL February 22

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of FBLA TBL February 22
