Weekly meals for families and seniors in Arlington

Since 2023, our volunteer team has run Open Hands Pantry every Friday from the back of the old library basement. We started with 10 families, and now we feed 356 each week. Donations have dropped by about 55% this harvest gap, while the line has grown every single week. We rely on volunteers - 9 of us - and keep no salaries or overhead. I buy staples at wholesale prices at the Arlington market and keep every receipt. Each $40 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 $2,000 goes: • Fresh vegetables and fruit: $720 • Refrigeration and electricity: $430 • Rice, beans, flour and oil (wholesale): $850 Every share and every dollar helps. - Bennett