CARTHAGE, MO.--- Volunteers are honoring Doctor Martin Luther King Jr., by giving back to their community. They are helping a Carthage organization that provides food to more than 150 families each week.
"We are helping reorganize the food pantry's food," states Shelia Evans, Volunteer. Sheila Evans is one of the volunteers helping the River Street Food Pantry.
"They give away food every Wednesday. They get so many donations, its been awhile since its been organized. It makes it easier if they know where everything is," says Evans.
Nathan Strickland lent a helping hand for some heavy lifting. He wanted to give back to the food pantry that has helped him.
"The pantry does a lot for people. This is a way of returning it, paying it forward," says Nathan Strickland, Volunteer.
Regina Shank says this is the first year the pantry is joining others across the nation for Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.
"I think it's a wonderful thing to give back and we have a lot of volunteers here anyway. We probably have 30 to 35 volunteers that come here every week," says Regina Shank, Director.
Volunteers reorganized these shelves stocked with food to prepare meals.
"We cook a hot meal every week. We have volunteers in the area who help cook that meal and serve as well," says Shank.
It was also a way for volunteers to help the pantry gear up for their annual benefit dinner. Evans says she hopes this day of service will inspire others to volunteer throughout the year.
"Today is the one day of the year that people are supposed to. That's the one day people recognize to do it, but I feel like you should do it everyday," says Evans.
Volunteers also helped prepare for the pantry's benefit dinner and silent auction which is tomorrow night. Directors say they are waiting on a $5,000 grant which they must match and hope to do so through this fundraiser. The money will go toward buying food for the year.
"We are helping reorganize the food pantry's food," states Shelia Evans, Volunteer. Sheila Evans is one of the volunteers helping the River Street Food Pantry.
"They give away food every Wednesday. They get so many donations, its been awhile since its been organized. It makes it easier if they know where everything is," says Evans.
Nathan Strickland lent a helping hand for some heavy lifting. He wanted to give back to the food pantry that has helped him.
"The pantry does a lot for people. This is a way of returning it, paying it forward," says Nathan Strickland, Volunteer.
Regina Shank says this is the first year the pantry is joining others across the nation for Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.
"I think it's a wonderful thing to give back and we have a lot of volunteers here anyway. We probably have 30 to 35 volunteers that come here every week," says Regina Shank, Director.
Volunteers reorganized these shelves stocked with food to prepare meals.
"We cook a hot meal every week. We have volunteers in the area who help cook that meal and serve as well," says Shank.
It was also a way for volunteers to help the pantry gear up for their annual benefit dinner. Evans says she hopes this day of service will inspire others to volunteer throughout the year.
"Today is the one day of the year that people are supposed to. That's the one day people recognize to do it, but I feel like you should do it everyday," says Evans.
Volunteers also helped prepare for the pantry's benefit dinner and silent auction which is tomorrow night. Directors say they are waiting on a $5,000 grant which they must match and hope to do so through this fundraiser. The money will go toward buying food for the year.
