Weekly meals for neighbors in need in Toulon

Since 2020, our volunteer team has run Open Hands Pantry every Monday from the back of a borrowed garage. We started with 10 families, and now we feed 356 each week. Donations have dropped by about 60% this harvest gap, while the line has grown every single week. We rely on volunteers - 15 of us - and keep no salaries or overhead. I buy staples at wholesale prices at the Toulon market and keep every receipt. Each $45 feeds a family of four for a week. All of the funds go to groceries, fresh produce, and cold-storage costs. Where the $1,600 goes: • Rice, beans, flour and oil (wholesale): $820 • Fresh vegetables and fruit: $430 • Baby formula and diapers: $165 • Refrigeration and electricity: $185 I never thought I'd be the one asking, and I'm grateful for every bit of support.