St. Clare’s operates the Back Door Food Pantry (BDFP) to provide food for the hungry in Ann Arbor. We all walk by the BDFP on our way to services, Hebrew school or other events at TBE. It distributes food to families and individuals every Thursday from 4-7 pm. The BDFP is operated entirely by volunteer effort and 100% of all donations go to providing food and hygiene products to those in need.

St. Clare’s has embraced TBE as a partner to help operate the Back Door Food Pantry. TBE volunteers are working alongside St. Clarians throughout February and March, getting training in the various tasks that keep the pantry running smoothly. Several members of TBE have volunteered to provide leadership to organize the TBE efforts to help St Clare’s operate and expand the Back Door Food Pantry:

Project Chairperson                  Hal Fischel             hfischel@hughes.net, 517 540-9943

Publicity and promotion             Marc Kessler          mkessler@umich.edu, 665-5106

Religious school liaison              Ellen Stone            egstone1135@yahoo.com, 669-0956

Volunteer coordinator               Leslee Cassel         lezleaf@yahoo.com, 665-5918

More than 40 TBE families have already volunteered to help with the weekly jobs that keep the pantry running and donations are already coming in. If you are interested in learning more about volunteering please contact Leslee Cassel. Once the appropriate funding stream and volunteer base are established, St. Clare and Temple Beth Emeth BDFB board members will explore ways to expand this important service.

What can you do now?

Food donations can be left in the basket or barrel located in the sanctuary coat closet.  Non-perishable items such as canned fruit, meats and fish, jelly (preferably in plastic bottles), cereal and condiments are currently needed. Monetary donations go the farthest as Food Gatherers’ sources allow the BDFP to purchase four times as much food of the same items you purchase at the grocery store.

As an added bonus, all donations are tax deductible and the first $200 donated to a food bank is eligible for a tax credit. To donate through a food bank, contribute to Food Gatherers with a notation to apply to the BDFP account. Other donations can be made to TBE with “Back Door Food Pantry” designated on the Memo line.

 BDFP now especially needs: tuna, cereal, bar soap and toothpaste.