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Friday, 08 February 2008 |
By MIKE BURKHOLDER and B.J. BETHEL
Staff Writers
ST. MARYS — Agape’s mission to feed local residents in need received a boost this week, thanks to a call for help.
Director Kathy Bayless said the group approached the St. Marys Community Foundation about a possible loan to pay for a new freezer and cooler. An increase in clientele was forcing the group to store more food, but didn’t have the appropriate equipment to do so.
Bayless was directed to several St. Marys city officials, including Mayor Greg Freewalt, who proceeded to help Agape acquire the $25,000 it needed to purchase a $35,000 freezer and cooler.
“The number of clients we feed every month is increasing exponentially,” Bayless said. “If we get the opportunity, we are buying by the pallet. It’s hard to store that kind of quantity, both in frozen goods and cooler items.”
Freewalt approached several local organizations this week who donated money to help purchase the new freezer and cooler. The Eagles donated $20,000 from its gambling fund, while the American Legion and VFW each donated $2,500.
“We are a charitable non-profit and this what we like to do,” Tom Grunden of American Legion Post 323 said. “We like to keep it in our town locally.”
The donations were a blessing for Agape, which serves the needy in the area. Freewalt was able to put the donations together in a day.
“They do a lot of goods things and they do a lot of good with their projects,” Freewalt said. “It’s just a fabulous thing and it is friends helping friends. I’m very impressed with how quickly it came about.”
Bayless said Agape has been feeding between 650 and 800 people a month, a 20-percent increase since 2006.
“A lot of people can’t make ends meet,” Bayless said. “Gas prices have gone up. They can’t afford the gas to get to and from work. You have some families working three or four jobs.”
Bayless said by taking care of their food, Agape can alleviate some of the burden off the families.
“You have people who are trying so hard, but they just can’t make that monthly commitment,” Bayless said. “By feeding these people, we can at least alleviate that burden.”
Doug Moran of Moran Refrigeration will order the units for Agape. Bayless said Moran quoted them a 2007 price because it cheaper and worked to get the group the best price possible.
“This wouldn’t have worked without Doug putting a sharp pencil to paper,” Bayless said.
Bayless said local grocery stores, such as Chief, Pantry Pride, Wagner’s IGA, Howell’s IGA and Kroger, have continued to support the group by donating left over products.
“A lot of the grocery stores are helping us out with bread and baked goods,” Bayless said.
“You need to be able to put those items in a refrigerator or freezer. They are bulkier, but there is no way I’m throwing food away. We’ve been storing it in every freezer we have and at remote locations. It’s so valuable, I don’t want to lose it.”
Besides food, Agape also provides clothing. This past Christmas, the group was arrange for anonymous donors to donate to families for the holiday.
Donors or churches were able to give items to families in need during the holiday.
“A lot of people have worked hard putting this thing together,” Bayless said. “This community, seriously, has rallied around us and supported us and we can not express our gratitude any more eloquently. It’s huge.”
Freewalt praised the efforts of members from the fraternal and veteran groups for donating to Agape. The mayor said Agape does a lot for the community and residents in Auglaize County.
“They do a lot of good things for this area,” Freewalt said. “It is just fabulous how this came together and it is just friends helping friends. I am very impressed.”
— B.J. Bethel is the Assistant Managing Editor and Mike Burkholder is the Managing Editor. |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 12 February 2008 )
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