FORNEY, Texas — The Forney Food Pantry purchased much-needed equipment with large donations from the City of Forney and the Forney Area United Way.
FORNEY, Texas — The Forney Food Pantry purchased much-needed equipment with large donations from the City of Forney and the Forney Area United Way.
The Forney Food Pantry also leveraged business discounts to make the most of the funds donated to them.
The Forney Area United Way donated $30,000 to the Forney Food Pantry, in addition to the approximately $15,000 donated each year by the United Way, for the installation of a walk-in freezer and cooler. According to pantry representative, Katie Vrana, Crown Mechanical Services provided a discounted invoice to achieve not only the purchase of the walk-in freezer and cooler but also all the associated electrical work and theft prevention equipment.
The pantry also leveraged a $25,000 grant from the City of Forney to purchase a refrigerated box truck. American Bobtail Inc. in Rockwall, Texas, reduced the price on a like-new refrigerated box truck which allowed them to also have a lift-gate installed on the truck.
The grant from the city will also go to purchase a pallet jack for the pantry.
The pantry says monetary donations, if possible, are needed donations. The pantry’s typical month-to-month stock is replenished at the North Texas Food Bank which charges the pantry a handler’s fee. The pantry also uses monetary donations to purchase food items that aren’t usually donated to provide balanced food donations to area families.
With the holiday season quickly approaching, monetary donations help purchase Thanksgiving and Christmas meals for families. The pantry recently purchased 300 turkeys at a discounted price from Kroger Marketplace in Forney.
The pantry launched a new website earlier this year which accepts monetary donations via Paypal. If you would like to make a donation, visit their website, here. Monetary donations benefit the pantry with food purchases, fuel, maintenance, and utility costs.
Recent food drives include the Forney Independent School District’s 2014 Unity Bowl Food Drive which donated over 9,300 food items, a Winner’s Circle neighborhood food drive which donated food and $800, and the Forney ISD theatre students who donated over 1,300 pounds of food.
To learn more about the Forney Food Pantry, to donate, or to volunteer, visit their website or Facebook Page.
