Remember The Poor
We’re calling this collection of blog posts “Seeking Shalom,” because we want to tell stories of how the network you’re part of is seeking the flourishing of our community. Inspired by Jeremiah 29:7, that mission is organized into our three pillars of community service, prayer, and church health.
Poverty Alleviation is a key focus of our community service efforts, as it was in Bible times. In fact, God designed a social safety net to provide for those who could not afford to buy food. It was the principle behind the gleaning laws in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, that required landowners to leave parts of their fields and vineyards unharvested, so that the poor, sojourners, widows and orphans would not be left destitute. To “glean” is to gather the leftovers, or what was missed on the first round.
The laws essentially said, “remember the poor.” When you harvest, don’t harvest to the very edge of the field, gathering up every bit of produce; instead, remember the poor by leaving the edges for them to glean and eat. If you harvested a sheaf of grain but neglected to gather it, remember the poor by leaving it for them. When you harvest your olive trees, don’t beat them a second time, but remember the poor by leaving some of the fruit behind.
Most of us don’t grow food or own olive trees, so how are we to “remember the poor”? One modern application is by supporting a food pantry for those facing food insecurity. Several years ago, Arlington Bridge Builders did just that. This post will help explain how the food pantry works, how you’re improving it, and how you can be part of it.
Our food pantry is located at 790 S. Carlin Springs Road, in a re-purposed school trailer behind the Community Church of God. It’s open three days a week, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, all year long. The food is sourced by the Capital Area Food Bank, which every Wednesday morning delivers a large supply of fresh and canned food, frozen meats, breads, and dairy products. In addition, food is picked up several times each week from Amazon Fresh in nearby Bailey’s Crossroads. And all the food from these sources is supplemented by churches, schools and individuals who organize food drives and deliver the collection to the pantry. Each source echos the biblical field or vineyard, where the leftovers are intended to feed the poor and immigrant.
Every donated item is then weighed, for reporting purposes. Volunteers sort and stack the food on the newly assembled shelves or in the new refrigerators made possible by a generous grant. The shelves and refrigerators are part of a bigger plan to improve the functionality and aesthetics of the interior space, adding a bit of dignity to gleaning. In April, we plan to work on the exterior of the food pantry, by replacing the rotting metal skirt of the trailer and widening the ramp to the entrance.
About an hour before the official opening, neighbors start lining up. That’s another difference from the way most people get their food. When you’re not sure where your next meal is coming from, you’ll get there early to be sure there’s something for you.
When the pantry door opens, people holding empty bags are greeted with a smile and a welcome, and asked to register. We need the information to be able to report to the County Department of Human Services and to our food sources how many people are served by the pantry, both those in line and those at home, along with the ages of their children. The information collected from all the area food pantries is one of the best measures of food insecurity. And every indication is that the problem is growing, largely because of increased costs in housing and other services that leave less money for food.
Until now, registering was done by hand, making people stand in long lines. Recently, however, the Capital Area Food Bank developed a new software program that allows people to register just once, and then get food at any participating pantry simply by scanning in their card. Arlington Bridge Builders will be an early adopter of this free software, which will not only make registering and reporting far more efficient, it will also provide staff and volunteers more time to interact with our neighbors. Most people want to talk about their lives, and many would like prayer. It’s another way we want to add a bit of dignity to gleaning.
After registering, neighbors walk between the shelves and refrigerators, selecting what they want and need, rather than being handed a bag of food. It’s another important way to show dignity. Some of the recipients of food will stay a little longer to help others carry their bags to the car, or jump in to meet a need. In fact, our most consistent volunteers have also received food at some point and live in the neighborhood. In that way, the food pantry feels more like a co-op that a wide group of neighbors are contributing to make possible. It’s a beautiful example of partnership.
Hospitality Tent
Another thing we’re experimenting with is offering a hospitality tent, where people can get some coffee or snacks while they wait, or pick up some donated books. It’s like when people come to visit you at your home, you typically offer some food or drink to say, “I was expecting you and am glad you’re here.” On the first day we set up the tent, we also offered bilingual Bibles donated by Emmanuel Presbyterian Church. Just a few seconds after putting them out, a young woman asked if they were free and smiled when she heard they were. Others came over, and in just a matter of minutes, all the Bibles had been picked up.
If you’d like to serve at the food pantry, let us know by linking to the volunteer page. Serving—whether by picking up food, stocking shelves, registering neighbors, or serving coffee—is a practical way to apply the ancient gleaning laws and “remember the poor.” But more importantly, it helps us remember the true condition of our hearts and God’s heart: “As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me.” (Psalm 40:17)