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Help Esther keep the the Second Helping pantry stocked

Esther runs a volunteer pantry feeding 174 families; this fund restocks shelves for the winter.

๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฑ North Holland, Netherlands812 views
Esther Marieke Willems
Email verified
Haarlem
Since 2019, our volunteer team has run the Second Helping every Monday from the back of a community center. We started with 29 families, and now we feed 174 each week. Donations have dropped by about 34% this winter, while the line has grown every single week. We rely on volunteers - 20 of us - and keep no salaries or overhead. I buy staples at wholesale prices at the Haarlem market and keep every receipt. Each $35 feeds a family of four for a week. I'll post the weekly shopping receipts and a photo of the shelves each Sunday. Where the $1,350 goes: โ€ข Baby formula and diapers: $310 โ€ข Refrigeration and electricity: $120 โ€ข Fresh vegetables and fruit: $920 Thanks for reading all this.

Updates from Esther

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  • Tanvi E. Sood ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ ยท $12
  • Atim Mercy Urassa ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ช ยท $5
  • Lamia Sabina Sen ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฉ ยท $10
  • Bithi Mousumi Molla ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฉ ยท $20
  • Anonymous ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ฌ ยท $100

    โ€œStay strong. Hope the November deadline works out. - Alexandriaโ€

  • Anonymous ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ ยท $10
  • Pavel Anisur Siddique ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฉ ยท $50
  • Gerald E. Arnold ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ยท $10

    โ€œThought of Esther all day after reading this. - Montrรฉalโ€

  • Fitria Gita Kusuma ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ ยท $10

    โ€œGood luck. My father told me about this one. - Jakarta Baratโ€

  • Simiyu Mutua Lyimo ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ฟ ยท $15
  • Aarti B. Bisht ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ ยท $10
  • Josiah P. Cohen ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ ยท $10

    โ€œWishing you the best. Only $10 but hope it helps. - Parramattaโ€

  • Anonymous ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ช ยท $5
  • Sarah Carpentier ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ยท $5

    โ€œPraying for you. Small amount but sent with love. - Lavalโ€

  • Oksana Viktoria Maksimov ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ยท $20

    โ€œFrom my family to yours. Saw your post and had to give. - Dniproโ€

  • Wagner Diego Rezende ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท ยท $50
  • Mahesh R. Mishra ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ ยท $10
  • Patrick Michael Ziegler ๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช ยท $100

    โ€œTake care of yourselves. Thought of Esther all day after reading this. - Munichโ€

  • Murugan B. Warrier ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ ยท $25
  • Cooper F. Romero ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง ยท $25

Reviews

3.3(9 reviews)

Only people who gave to this need, or whose offer to help was accepted, can review it.

  • Arslan Junaid Memon๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฐVerified helper
    Restored my faith in humanity

    Couldn't have asked for better support. They listened carefully, understood my situation deeply, and provided thoughtful advice that actually worked. Thank you so much.

  • Patricia A. Solรญs๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธVerified helper
    Trustworthy helper

    I was nervous about reaching out, but this person made me feel comfortable and supported from the very first interaction. Their help was invaluable.

  • Ronke Yetunde Yusuf๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฌVerified donor
    Trustworthy helper

    I was struggling and didn't know where to turn. This person stepped in without hesitation and provided exactly what I needed. Their compassion and expertise made all the difference in my life.

  • David Victor Opio๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ชVerified helper
    Delivered on promises

    The help I received was exactly what was described and more. This person follows through on their commitments and genuinely cares about making a positive impact.

  • Kingsley Kunle Quadri๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฌVerified helper
    Exceeded expectations

    This is the kind of person who restores your faith in humanity. They didn't just offer help; they genuinely cared about my wellbeing and followed through on every commitment.

  • Asif Kamrul Jahan๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฉVerified donor
    Really cared about my situation

    This helper is honest and transparent about what they can do. They didn't overpromise, but they did deliver excellent results. I would definitely trust them again.

  • Wellington Bruno Fernandes๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ทVerified helper
    Made me feel heard

    This is what community support looks like. They didn't just offer generic advice; they provided personalized help tailored to my specific situation.

  • Khรกnh Kim Vo๐Ÿ‡ป๐Ÿ‡ณVerified helper
    Very responsive and caring

    I was struggling and didn't know where to turn. This person stepped in without hesitation and provided exactly what I needed. Their compassion and expertise made all the difference in my life.

  • Wulan Siti Nugroho๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉVerified donor
    Amazing support system

    The help I received was exactly what was described and more. This person follows through on their commitments and genuinely cares about making a positive impact.

Questions & comments

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  • Rooting for you. Hope you get there. My late mom used to say help given quietly counts double!

    • You're not alone, Esther. Reading this made my day a bit heavier but I'm glad I did. All the best.

      • reading this made my day a bit heavier but I'm glad I did. Thinking of Haarlem.

        $956.50 raised of $1,350

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