Lending a helping hand by donating food

The Martin Luther King Junior Prayer Breakfast Committee is extending the spirit of giving through February with the “Love Your Neighbor” canned food drive.

The goal is to encourage everyone to have a canned food drive. Christ’s Table is the hub of the operation where all the food will be sorted and distributed to the 15 pantries and four hot meal programs in the Muskingum County hunger network. Executive Director of Christ’s Table, Keely Warden, said everyone can participate.

“It doesn’t have to be a group. It can be an individual,” Warden said. “Everyone can help, so if you just want to drop off a can of green beans, a jar of peanut butter down here at Christ’s Table, we will make sure that it gets to one of the food pantries or one of the hot meal programs.”

Warden said everyone wants to help around Thanksgiving and Christmas and then around this time of year the hunger network struggles for donations. She stressed that people need help year around, especially in the colder months.

“A hot meal is so important this time of the year, and our neighbors are out there and they do need it,” Warden said. “Hunger continues to be a huge issue. One of every child here in Muskingum County goes to bed hungry and we can’t let that happen.”

Anyone with a donation or who wants help getting a drive started can contact Christ’s Table at (740) 452-9766.