For the 16th year in a row, Alan Shawn Feinstein has issued his one million dollar challenge to food pantries across the country to raise awareness for hunger. And once again, Good Samaritan Ministries has taken on the challenge.
Each year, Feinstein puts up $1 million of his own money as a charge to food pantries. The more money each pantry raises during March and April, the greater portion of the $1 million they are eligible to receive.
During the months of March and April, every donation made for any of GSM’s three hunger ministries: Food Pantry, Food for thought and The Deer Project counts toward the challenge.
Monetary donations count dollar for dollar and every food donation counts as either $1 per item or pound depending on which is greater.
“The March Against Hunger: Feinstein Challenge is our largest fundraiser of the year,” said Angelia Bostick, Executive Director of the Good Samaritan Ministries. “And since it spans a two-month time period, we also get to include proceeds from our Empty Bowls Project and Sodexo’s Easter Buffet.”
During these two months, GSM staff encourages schools, scout troops, civic organizations, churches, businesses and individuals to hold food drives for the ministry.
“Everything counts,” Bostick said. “Whether you hold a food drive, fund drive or collect loose change from the couch cushions, it all goes to help feed families in Brown County and ultimately counts toward our total contributions for the Feinstein Challenge which translates into even more money.”
Included in the challenge are any fundraisers held for food during these two months.
The Empty Bowls Project will be held from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 28 at the Brownwood Coliseum. For a donation in the amount of your choice, you get to choose a hand-painted ceramic bowl and enjoy a simple meal of soup, bread and water. At the end of the meal take your empty bowl home as a reminder of those in our own community who have empty bowls and empty stomachs.
“New this year, we are offering a special preview ticket for $20,” Bostick said. “With that, you can come in from 9:45 to 10:45 and have first choice of all of the bowls, then bring your ticket back and have lunch or dinner with us later.”
Bostick said inevitably every year someone wants their own bowl or the bowl their son or daughter painted and this is the closest we can come to accommodating that.
Last year’s Feinstein Challenge goal was $140,000 and the ministry surpassed it by far.
“This year we are setting our goal at $150,000 and we know that with the help of our friends and neighbors in Brown County we can reach that goal,” Bostick said. “Remember, anything that comes in for any of our hunger ministries– whether it be money or food –counts toward the challenge.”
In 2012, the GSM hunger ministries served 4,092 unduplicated families. On average, 1,020 families per month picked up groceries at the GSM food pantry. Currently, 117 children are enrolled in the Food for Thought program providing a weekend’s worth of food to chronically hungry students in Brown County schools. One in every five adults and one in every four children in Brown County are at risk of food insecurity, both higher than the state average.
“We don’t hold major fundraisers and events just to have something to do and stockpile money in our bank account,” Bostick said. “There is a very real need and this fundraiser provides a platform to meet that need while allowing an avenue for every age group and people group to be involved in a positive way in this community.”
The Feinstein Challenge runs through March and April. For more information call 325-203-2489. Checks may be mailed to P.O. Box 1136, Brownwood, TX 76804 or stop by 305 Clark Street in Brownwood
