Collections ongoing to benefit food pantry

As the holidays approach, let’s not forget it’s also the season of giving and there are a number of ways to help those in need.

There are a number of ongoing efforts to benefit the local food pantry.

The 11th annual Key/Kiwanis Club canned food drive will run through Nov. 21. All food collected will go to the Sterling Community Food Coalition.

Donations can be delivered to the front office at Montgomery County High school Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Students can also bring donations to their teachers at the start of each school day. MCHS notes in a social media post, “This is the biggest food drive in the county each year and stocks the food pantry for up to six months.”

You can find a link for a round up charity for the Sterling Community Food Coalition for Walmart on the pantry’s social media site.

There is also a registry listed for items that can be purchased.

The Montgomery County Child Welfare Committee has also partnered with the Sterling Community Food Coalition and is collecting shelf stable/non-perishable items through Nov. 24.

Donations can be dropped off at the Montgomery County Health and Civic Center, 108 E. Locust Street (Health Dept. Clinic) Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

You can also donate monetarily via Venmo to the Child Welfare Committee’s efforts @MOCOChildAbusePrevention.

In addition to its normal weekly food offerings, the pantry is looking to provide Thanksgiving meal boxes. The Advocate previously reported about collections for that in a past issue. It will be a separate box of food that will be give given to those who are eligible who visit the pantry.

Through Nov. 20, Tomatoes and Flames, 32 S. Maysville, is serving as a drop-off location for donations that will be used to make limited boxes that will be served the week of Thanksgiving. 

The coalition was also suggesting that donations for the Thanksgiving drive could be dropped off at the pantry, 515 Maysville Road, by Wednesday of this week. 

If you would like to contribute to the food pantry monetarily, the pantry accepts cash donations, checks made payable to P.O. box 637, Mt. Sterling, Ky., 40353 or you can donate by PayPal or Zeffy. 

You can also donate by visiting the coalition’s website, http://sterlingcommunityfoodcoalition.org and clicking donate.

Another way to contribute to the food pantry is to participate in the annual Holiday Home Tour.

It will be presented by Kentucky Realty Group from 1 to 5 p.m. Dec. 14 and will feature five homes.

Tours will begin at the Episcopal Church and ticket proceeds will benefit the food coalition.

Advance tickets are available at Kentucky Realty Group,  212 Apperson Heights, or you can purchase them online by scanning QR code through Zeffy.

A gratitude yoga benefit planned for Sunday, Nov. 16, will benefit the food coalition.

Set for 4 to 6 p.m. at the Gateway Regional Arts Center, it will be an evening of mindful movement, gratitude meditation and community giving. The event, “Harvest of the Heart,” will be hosted by Tara Young and Carina Schroedel. Admission is donation-based (food or monetary donations are welcome).