5 days ago
Elk Tip Toppers 4-H members volunteer at Manna Food Pantry
Jun. 5—WORTHINGTON — For 58 years, the Manna Food Pantry has been in business in the lower hall of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Worthington. The pantry has helped people get access to not just food, but personal hygiene products as well.
While the food pantry serves Nobles County, some Nobles County kids are returning the favor. Three sisters — Emma, 15, Clara, 11, and Raeya Hietbrink, 8 — are volunteering with Manna and giving back to their community.
The Hietbrink sisters are members of the Elk Tip Toppers 4-H Club in Nobles County. The group had previously raised money and participated in food drives for Manna, but this time the girls got to see what things look like on the other end.
Linda Sanchez, the coordinator for Manna, has worked at the food pantry for 13 years. She said the pantry is feeding an increasing number of people each day, and expressed concerns about the growing number of people who struggle with food insecurity.
"A lot of that is due to the rising cost of groceries," she said. "Our costs go up just as much as everybody else that goes to the grocery store. So, our fundraisers are really important to us."
While the cost of groceries has increased, so have the donations the food pantry has received. Their largest fundraiser of the year, the March Food Campaign, met and surpassed the pantry's goal.
"That was a real blessing to the community," Sanchez said.
She explained while they only have one food campaign a year, the pantry accepts donations throughout the entire year, whether it be monetary or product donations. Right now, a necessity is fresh produce.
"If anybody wants to donate fresh produce, we would love it," Sanchez said. "We always like to have fresh produce on hand."
The pantry focuses on keeping healthy items stocked. Sanchez shared they don't carry a lot of less healthy foods such as Hamburger Helper or sweetened cereals, unless they are donated.
The pantry is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and is always looking for volunteers to help. Once a month members of the Trojan football team come in and help unload the supply truck.
The Hietbrink sisters volunteered at Manna last year and found it to be a fun experience. "So we came back," Emma, who has been involved in 4-H since she was in kindergarten, said. She also shared that their club raised and donated $500 to Manna last year.
"Some people donate food, but you can also donate money," Emma said. "Part of 4-H is helping people."
Being a member of the 4-H club comes with responsibilities and expectations to give back to the community. Emma explained, "There's four H's. Head, heart, hands and health. And this is the part of our hands. We help people in our community."
When community members walk through the pantry, the girls tell them how many items they can receive and help them as though it were a little grocery store. Emma said it is easier for the younger kids to do this type of community service work, rather some of their other projects, such as landscaping.
"It's a more funner experience to help other people," Clara said.
Emma works with livestock all summer showing her sheep, goats and cattle. She wants to be a veterinarian one day. Her sisters also work with livestock, but create a lot of crafts as well. Clara said she wants to be a farmer when she grows up and Raeya has plans to follow her oldest sister's goal to become a veterinarian.
