Archive for April, 2011

FOOD BANKS can:

go to homepage

• login

complete inventory list

• enter low item and automatically be alerted if another food band has entered a surplus of that item
• link these needs to social networks

enter quantities of goods in certain categories

add an event

update contact info and hours

VOLUNTEERS/NEEDY can:

go to homepage

see full list of food banks and status of inventory for foodbanks

click on individual banks to see detailed inventory

find bank locations of maps

go to events tab and see opportunities

search (for pantries and events)

Grant is 35 year old middle class male currently working as the manager at Abilene Food Bank. He signs into his email and sees a notification from Full Pantry Project informing him he has not updated their inventory count in over a month. A link in the email takes him directly to the home page where he signs in to the site. Once logged in, Grant is able to update the inventory under specific categories (dry foods, canned foods, etc). While he is updating he notices a shortage in breakfast items such as oatmeal and cereal. Once he is done updating the inventory, he goes to view the map and see if any other food banks are overstocked with breakfast items, and puts out a request on the blog for those items, and is automatically shared to their facebook and twitter feeds.

Shellie attends Abilene Christian University as a Sophomore and looking for a service event to help out on the weekends. She has worked at a food pantry in Dallas before, but is wanting to work more close to home. After some searching, she comes across the Full Pantry Projects site. From the home page she views a full list of Food Banks. She then notices that some of the places have upcoming events and starts to search for events taking place this weekend. Shellie finds an event close to her and looks at what job areas with which the pantry needs help.

Steve is a 54 year old male that has been out of the job for quite some time. A stranger handed him a flyer for Full Pantry Project with a website listed on it. He visits the Abilene public library and gets on the web to go to the home page. From there he see the various food banks and looks on the map for the one closest to him. After checking the hours of operation, he verifies the pantry is open and they have enough food in stock.

Donator → Food Bank

Hector is a 6 year old boy from a low income family who often goes to school hungry. He receives free lunches from the school that is sometimes the only meal he receives in a day. Mrs. Smith, the teacher, is told by Hector that he is not eating frequently at home. Mrs. Smith googles ‘food banks in Abilene’ and clicks on the first entry entitled “Abilene Full Pantry Project.” She takes note of several places near Hector’s home, finds a printable promotion piece (ie flier with information) and sends it home to Hector’s parental figures.

Food Bank → Food Bank

Due to the recent tornado, the West Central Texas Food Bank has a shortage of bread, rice, and a quickly decreasing supply of canned food. The Highland Church of Christ has a plethora of these items because of a recent food drive at a local school. On the Abilene Full Pantry Projects website, facebook, and twitter, the WCTFB posts something about their food shortages and asks for donations from other food banks. The HCCFB sees the need and mobilizes forces to deliver food as soon as possible.

Needy Person → Food Bank

Charles, a 37 year old drifter, finds himself in Abilene not knowing where he’ll find his next meal. He stops in at the Abilene Public Library for some air conditioning. While doing some random web surfing, Charles notices a flier next to the computer advertising the Abilene Full Pantry Project that also says it offers a list of places to get free meals. He accesses the site and clicks on the page that lists times and locations of the different food banks and meal sites. He finds the one closest to him, gets a meal, and from there also finds a bed for the night so he can be well rested to drift again.

Love & Care Ministries 233 Fannin St

Angel Food Ministry Closest Host Site–South Pointe Church 3050 Buffalo Gap Road

Meals on Wheels 717 North 10th Street

This might be cheating… but its for the greater good. Here is a list I found of a ton with addresses and hours listed.

Food Pantry List (Word Document)

Food Bank of West Central Texas: http://www.fbwct.org/

First United Methodist Church: http://www.fumcabilene.com/ministries/missions/fumc_food_pantry.html

Food Bank of Abilene

5505 N 1st St

(325) 695-6316

Food Bank of Abilene
5505 North 1st Street
Abilene, TX 79603-6426
(325) 695-6311

“While one out of every five adults and one out of every four children in the Big Country lives in poverty and has difficulty meeting basic nutritional needs, enormous quantities of surplus food are available from the food industry and food manufacturers. That is where the Food Bank comes in. Since 1983, the mission of the FBWCT has been “helping to fight hunger in the Big Country by providing food to non-profit organizations that feed the hungry.”

First United Methodist Church
202 Butternut
Abilene, Texas 79602
Phone: (325) 673-6769

“The FUMC Food Pantry, connected to Abilene’s Call-For-Help network, operates every Wednesday from 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM at the church. Donations of food items such as canned soups, vegetables, and fruit are also needed.”

I then found THIS! It’s a schedule for all the different ones in Abilene!