New Food Pantry has Hybrid Distribution Methods in Place

An open house event was held Wednesday, June 7, to share the newly renovated home of The Marlow Samaritans. Operated entirely by volunteers and with donations, the new facility is streamlined for efficiency for individuals and families needing food.

Carolyn Lowe said the facility is a hybrid distribution center. There is the client shopping pantry in the center of the building, and the drive through distribution at the back of the building. This allows two ways of helping people in the community. The pantry inside is easy for clients to shop in, while the drive through helps those who may not want to come inside, or can’t because of limited mobility.

Cricket Holland said the volunteers were pleased with the number of people who came to seethe new food bank.

“The ultimate goal is to make sure people are not going hungry," Holland said.

Visitors to the storefront may not recognize the place. Once filled with clothing, it is now a bright space, with organized shelves packed with food and other necessities.

Large commercial refrigerators and freezers are also in the space. Dave Wattenbarger, district manager of Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma was also there to visit with the volunteers and community members about the program. Lowe said the recent United States Postal System’s annual food drive also helped stock the shelves.

“We got donations from both Marlow and Duncan,” she said. The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma received more than 547,277 pounds of food donations and $71,194 from the National Association of Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive on May 13.

The letter carriers collect the food on their routes and then deliver it to the post offices, where in turn, \those donations are sorted by volunteers and then shared with the Food Banks in their communities and at the state level.

Volunteers at the Bill Carter Food Pantry/Marlow Samaritans location distributes the Wednesday after the 2ndand 4thTuesday of each month. Volunteers answer phones Monday through Friday (580-658-5771). There are no regular set hours, but Marlow residents needing assistance can call the phone number and leave a message when volunteers are not available to answer. Volunteers are also always needed and welcomed. Since 1992, the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive has collected more than 13 million pounds of food and raised $10,198,979 dollars to fight hunger in Oklahoma. *Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma