Date: Fri 06-Feb-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

Faith-Food-Pantry-Feinstein

Full Text:

Philanthropist's Challege May Help Local Food Pantry

Calling it a disgrace for the greatest nation in the world to have 35 million

citizens hungry or without adequate food, a Rhode Island philanthropist has

pledged to match all donations of $25 or more, up to a total of $1 million,

made from February 4-14 to food pantries and soup kitchens all over the

country.

Locally, the FAITH Food Pantry would like to be a recipient of the generosity

of Alan Shawn Feinstein, founder of the Feinstein Foundation of Cranston, R.I.

The Faith Food Pantry is an emergency food bank operated at St John's Church

in Sandy Hook as a joint effort among local churches.

Nancy Taylor, who serves as treasurer of the FAITH Food Pantry's operating

committee, said she received a letter from the Connecticut Food Bank on

January 28 informing her about the offer by Mr Feinstein.

To qualify for matching donations from the foundation, local food banks and

soup kitchens must submit copies of all donation checks dated between February

4 and February 14.

If donations received equal more than $1 million, the $1 million donated by Mr

Feinstein will be divided equally among all qualified responders, the

foundation said. Recently, a $100,000 Feinstein challenge grant inspired blitz

telephone and mail campaigns by over 300 eligible charities to their past and

potential donors asking their help to take advantage of it. Over $1.3 million

was raised in seven days in response to the challenge.

Alan Shawn Feinstein is founder of the Hunger Program at Brown University and

the International Famine Center at Tufts University. He also is founder of the

Youth Hunger Brigade, a program which develops awareness of the hunger problem

in young people and recommends activities to reduce it.

Rose Majestic, associate director of the Connecticut Food Bank, which operates

the Sharing The Harvest food bank network, relayed information about the

Feinstein challenge to soup kitchen and pantry directors in Connecticut.

Nancy Taylor is co-chairman, with Doris Bulmer and Lee Paulsen, of the FAITH

Food Pantry.

"This would be such a help," Ms Taylor said, responding to the foundation's

offer. "Even $100 would help us."

Usually between 45 and 90 local individuals and families are assisted each

month by the FAITH Food Pantry. Money is always needed to purchase food items

in addition to those donated by local residents and organizations.

According to the information sent to Ms Taylor, copies of the donation checks

must be submitted by FAITH Food Pantry to the foundation in one envelope,

dated February 18, so it is important that donors act quickly. Donation checks

made payable to FAITH Food Pantry should be sent to: FAITH Food Pantry, c/o

Nancy Taylor, 31 Zoar Road, Sandy Hook 06428. For more information, call Ms

Taylor at 426-8507.

The Feinstein checks are scheduled to be sent as soon as the tally is

completed, which is expected to be by the end of March.