The season of giving never ends for these community food programs.
As November unfolds, the season of giving has officially begun. Remember our neighbors in need during your holiday preparations, and consider ways you can share the winter cheer this year—such as supporting a local food distribution program.
Christian Help
A pillar of Morgantown since 1975, Christian Help’s food pantry offers non-perishable and fresh foods, hygiene items, pet supplies, and other necessities. Last year, this program amounted to more than 25,000 pounds of food—that’s about the same weight as a loaded school bus or two adult African elephants—and supported more than 2,400 patrons and 200 pets.
To take part in the merriment, make monetary contributions online or via mail, donate food items to the 219 Walnut Street facility on Wednesdays 10 a.m.–3 p.m., or volunteer your time.
Pantry Plus More
In 2021, Pantry Plus More amassed hundreds of turkeys, homemade pumpkin pies, pounds upon pounds of potatoes, special-diet meals, and more to serve up hearty Thanksgiving feasts to more than 500 families. That’s a lot of grub.
You can support efforts like this one and others, including the nonprofit’s school pantry program and food deliveries, by making monetary donations online or via mail, volunteering, or donating food items at 9 Rousch Drive. Donations are accepted during operating hours, but can also be left in the blue bins outside of the Westover facility.
The Rack: WVU Student Food Pantry
The “starving college student” trope isn’t just a stereotype—nearly half of WVU students reported struggles with food insecurity in a 2023 National College Health Assessment Survey. The Rack has sought to ease this burden since its launch in 2010, supplying all students with fresh and non-perishable food and hygiene items at its three pantry locations.
The Rack welcomes support in keeping WVU’s students fed and focused on their studies in the form of monetary donations, Amazon wish list purchases, and food and hygiene items donated during location operating hours.
If you’ve got an unpaid WVU parking violation, take advantage of WVU Parking Management’s ongoing “Food for Fines” drive—it forgives one active parking citation per 10 non-perishable food items donated on the first floor of Mountaineer Station weekdays Nov. 4–15 between 8:15 a.m. and 4:15 p.m.
The Soup Opera, facilitated by Cannabist
Although it might seem an unlikely place for food donation, Morgantown’s Cannabist branch has collected thousands of dollars worth of canned goods since February in support of Fairmont’s Soup Opera, a source of food and wellness items for around 100 patrons each day.
Every Wednesday during operating hours, customers and non-customers alike can stop by the dispensary’s location at 225 Don Knotts Boulevard with canned food items. To sweeten the deal, customers receive 25% off their order with a donation of five cans.
Thanks to enthusiastic support from customers and an estimated 400 cans collected each Wednesday, this program has no end in sight.
Visit the website or call 304.244.5178 for more information.
Food donations should be unopened, unexpired, and non-perishable, and categories like canned meats, cereals, condiments, and microwavable meals are in high demand.
Although food donations are accepted and appreciated, some food pantries find that monetary contributions go further on bulk purchases. Volunteering is highly prized as well—as community-oriented, community-run nonprofits, these organizations would be unable to do all they do without everyday folks to handle communication, organization, and, of course, lifting all those cans.
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