Food Assistance Agencies in Monongalia County
Empty Bowls Monongalia distributed $90,000 to meal programs, food pantries, and backpack feeding programs in July 2023.
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Funds raised will provide support to 24 agencies serving a food insecure population of over 16,000 residents in Monongalia County, including 2,600 children. These agencies provide hot meals to our hungry friends and neighbors, nutritious groceries to our food pantries, and food-filled weekend backpacks to school children
Empty Bowls Monongalia is an all-volunteer agency. We credit the success of Empty Bowls to the dedication of over 700 registered volunteers who contribute their time and efforts year round. Some volunteers serve as members of the Board of Directors and in other leadership positions.
The volunteers plan community fundraising events, sell tickets, develop logistics for our annual soup and bread luncheon, implement public relations activities, solicit donations of food and ceramic bowls, secure in-kind donations and supplies for our operations, and serve as office assistants and accountants.
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Our Agency Liaison Committee visits each participating agency at least once a year in order to understand it's programs and needs. The committee distributes agency funding applications, reviews the requests, and makes allocation recommendations to the Board based upon available funds.
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"When I was a child, we didn't always have enough food for our family of nine but through the generosity of agencies and neighbors, we made it. I feel it is my turn to pay the kindness forward as a volunteer for Empty Bowls Monongalia in their fight against food insecurity." Linda D., Empty Bowls Volunteer
Weekend Backpack Feeding Programs assist children who are food insecure in several local schools. If your child is food insecure, contact the school counselor's office and they can assist you.
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Grants are awarded annually. Applications may be submitted from March 1 to March 31. Awards are presented in June. Any Monongalia County program having a food pantry, meal program, or backpack feeding program is eligible to apply. Emergency grant applications outside the normal submission period are decided on a case-by-case basis.