Mission Statement
The mission of our Food Pantry, Arlington’s longest running, active food pantry: to serve as a vital source of food and fellowship for Arlingtonians who are in great need. Our goals and commitment – to provide equitable access to resources and opportunities needed for EVERY COMMUNITY MEMBER to be healthy, safe, and economically secure.
Program Summary
The Food Pantry at Saint George’s Episcopal Church, the oldest in Arlington, was established in 1989. Our mission is to serve as a vital source of food and fellowship for people in need in the Arlington community. By partnering with parishioners, local organizations, and individuals in the area, we help create a community solution to a community challenge. It is a fully-volunteer, unpaid Church ministry.
We provide one bag of food items that will last a client for 2 days, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm. Typical items include bottled water, boxed milk, canned vegetables, canned and microwavable pasta, canned and instant soup, instant oatmeal, applesauce cups, snacks, and fresh fruit. Basic personal care staples, baby wipes and diapers are also handed out.
Impact Statement
Open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, we serve an average of 50 Arlingtonian clients daily. Clients (who we call guests) of varied ages, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and physical abilities, select what they want from our shelves to cover two days of food. Visiting us each day we are open gives them food to last six days.
No one is denied food. Clients are welcome to a variety of food offerings and basic personal care staples (socks, travel size shampoos, conditioner, bath soap, ChapStick, lotion, deodorant, toothbrushes and toothpaste). Baby wipes and diapers are available for mothers and infants.
Our Food Pantry’s clients are steadily increasing. Client numbers have grown from 2,557 in 2022, to 3,873 in 2023, to a projected 6,900 for 2024. For the first 6 months of 2024, we served nearly as many clients as in all of 2023!
What ways can the public get involved?
We would be most grateful for cash donations that will allow us to replenish our weekly food supplies. We appreciate food donations that include bottled water, canned and boxed food goods. We welcome volunteers who can help prepare our bagged items and feed those who come to our Food Pantry.
How are charitable dollars spent? Where does my donation go?
$180 can provide food for our Arlingtonian clients for ONE day.
$540 can provide food for our Arlingtonian clients for THREE days a week.
Information provided November 2024