By Maj Eisinger, Charlotte Food Shelf

This wonderful community continues to work together to support all who live in and love this town.

Many thanks to Sustainable Charlotte, the Charlotte Grange and the Charlotte Library for sponsoring the Repair Café. The Repair Café was a resounding success and we are grateful for the monetary and food items collected by its patrons.

The First Kids Summer Clothes Project organized by Tai Dinnan in partnership with the Grange was also a great success. Thank you to all the families who donated and supported this new kids project.

We also appreciate the support of Elizabeth Bassett and John Pane, as well as eggs from Linda Hamilton, beef from Louise McCarren and multiple food items provided by Our Lady of Mount Carmel parishioners from their recent food drive.

Thanks to Dean Leary for delivering Vermont Foodbank perishables of shredded cheese, apples and raisin breads.

Young and old alike continue to appreciate the delicious variety of O Bread products from Shelburne Farms delivered by Peter Mittels.

The United States Department of Agriculture expects food prices to rise between 4.5 and 5.5 percent this year. The Food Shelf provides a vital function to mitigate this stress.

Often, in the face of enormity of need, individual responses can feel inadequate. Concrete actions, however small, do add up.

Our current wish list includes: applesauce, mayonnaise, canned bake beans, pasta, pasta sauce, mac and cheese, pancake mixes.

The United States Postal Service is collecting nonperishable donations on May 14. Donations can also be left on the side porch of the Congregational Church.

For those of you planning a garden: please consider planting a row to benefit the Food Shelf.

Gardeners may know that bees, while making honey, gather pollen and also pollinate fruit, nut trees and a long list of crops including potatoes, onions, celery, beet, cabbage, broccoli, peppers, watermelon and coffee.

Many are concerned since Vermont Fish and Wildlife has added the American bumblebee to the state endangered list. Consider reducing pesticide use, planting a patch of wildflowers or providing a simple brush pile or honeycomb house as a pollinator home. Steps that help our bee pollinators directly may indirectly benefit the Food Shelf.

High quality N95 masks have been supplied by the Resilience Community Committee for distribution. Given concerns about the risk from rising levels of more transmissible COVID variants, we continue to encourage masking and will continue distributing food by curbside pickup to keep families and volunteers safe.

If you cannot come to food shelf distribution due to COVID symptoms or seek further information about the Food Shelf, please call 802-425-3252.

Monetary donations are appreciated and can be addressed to: Charlotte Food Shelf, Inc., P.O. Box 83, Charlotte VT 05445. The Food Shelf is a 501(c)3 entity, and contributions remain tax deductible.

The Food Shelf is open for food distribution from 4-6 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. For emergency food, please call John at 802-425 -3130.