For Hub City Times

MARSHFIELD — The Stanley-Boyd Food Pantry will receive $1,000 from Security Health Plan’s Monthly Employee-Driven Corporate Giving campaign, funding dedicated to organizations that make a healthy difference in their communities.

The donation is earmarked for the food pantry’s Weekend Kids’ Meals program, which supplies two lunches, two breakfasts, and a snack for students in the Stanley-Boyd school district whose families would otherwise have trouble providing food for them over the weekend.

“The number of lockers I see brown bags in on Friday afternoon is mind blowing,” said the anonymous Security Health Plan nominator. “My son comes home telling me he shared his food with his friends because they couldn’t eat lunch otherwise. It has to be so challenging to admit you need help, but as a parent, thinking of my children going hungry is the scariest thing in the world.”

The 3-year-old Weekend Kids’ Meals program currently feeds 97 children each week. The pantry also feeds 23 high school students on a weekly basis. Monthly, the pantry, which operates out of Our Savior Lutheran Church, supplies food to 100 families, including 28 home-bound seniors. The food is donated by community members or purchased from the Feed My People Food Bank.

“The families we feed are one sickness or one paycheck away from not making it,” said Deb Mai, who runs the pantry. “We are always happy for nonperishable food donations, but monetary donations are what keep our doors open. We can buy 10 times the worth of your donated food items with donated money because we purchase in bulk from the food bank.”

Security Health Plan’s anonymous nominator hopes word about the pantry will spread, “There is a high volume of need in the low-income community, but the program isn’t well known. I hope if more people know about the need there and the program, they can help.”

Call Deb Mai at 715-456-7540 to learn more about the Stanley-Boyd Food Pantry or to volunteer.