Weekly meals for elderly neighbors in Addis Ababa

Since 2020, our volunteer team has run Open Hands Pantry every Sunday from the back of the parish hall. We started with 30 families, and now we feed 64 each week. Donations have dropped by about 38% this rainy season, while the line has grown every single week. We rely on volunteers - 7 of us - and keep no salaries or overhead. I buy staples at wholesale prices at the Addis Ababa market and keep every receipt. Each $5 feeds a family of four for a week. All of the funds go to groceries, fresh produce, and cold-storage costs. Where the $300 goes: • Refrigeration and electricity: $35 • Rice, beans, flour and oil (wholesale): $105 • Fresh vegetables and fruit: $160 Even a small gift gets used right away and I'll thank you myself.