EVERYTHING YOU SEND US IS SENT TO THE COMMUNITY.
who we are: a story from us to you
We don't believe in profiting from a universal need, so we're a non-profit organization working to serve the Benton County area through a food pantry in the basement of the Wesley United Methodist Church in Vinton, Iowa. Sounds like a mouthful, right? We are all volunteers and are paid 0 dollars for our time spent with the community.
On the third Saturday of every month, from 10 am to 11 am, we set up a little grocery in the basement and let people pick up items they need. No questions asked. We don't see a reason to know why, but we know someone needs us.
On the third Saturday of every month, from 10 am to 11 am, we set up a little grocery in the basement and let people pick up items they need. No questions asked. We don't see a reason to know why, but we know someone needs us.
how we started: a better origin story than Oprah*
* that's a lie, but we come pretty close
Fueled by coffee, and inspired by adaptions to "The Starfish Thrower" and the Blue Thong Organization, we wanted to have fun as a group of gals. We eventually called ourselves oh-so-cleverly, The Starfish Group. Our idea of "fun" is serving the community. Yeah, we might be a little crazy, but together we picked a few target groups and the Mobile Food Pantry was born in a basement. We are still in the basement, but the only way to go from here is up.
adapted from The Star Thrower by Loren Eiseley
Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.
One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.
As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.
He came closer still and called out 'Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?'
The young man paused, looked up, and replied 'Throwing starfish into the ocean.'
'I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?' asked the somewhat startled wise man.
To this, the young man replied, 'The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die.'
Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, 'But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!'
At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, 'It made a difference for that one.'
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