Milton Community Food Pantry gets $50,000 boost from Perdue Foundation

MILTON, Del. – In 2021, 53 million Americans turned to food banks and pantries for a meal, according to Feed America. That need is no different in our own backyard.

Joining Up to Fight Hunger

To help fight hunger, the Perdue Foundation donated $50,000 to the Milton Community Food Pantry (MCFP) on Wednesday. The donation comes as MCFP is facing an increasing number of hungry individuals and families at their distribution events.

“On Monday mornings, we have to pack everything up, carry it over [to Waters Edge Church], distribute, and then bring back what’s left, if there’s anything,” said President of the MCFP, Donna Murawski. “Although, there hasn’t been much left lately.”

Murawski says the MCFP already has important plans for how they will spend the money.

“We finally have a piece of property of our own,” said Murawski. “Now, we are in the process of building a pole building. It will be a building that we’ll use for storage, for packing, and for distributing from.”

Kim Nechay, Executive Director of the Perdue Foundation, says awarding the Milton Community Food Pantry, was an easy choice.

“The strength of this volunteer force, small but mighty here at the Milton Food Pantry, is just the perfect example of allowing us to participate in a way to help our neighbors, especially in fighting hunger and food insecurity,” said Nechay. “We’re really excited at Perdue to support our neighbors who are supporting their neighbors.”

Growing Need, Rising Costs

Today, the MCFP is made up of about 30 volunteers. Murawski says as the work grows at the Food Pantry, the room volunteers have to do it, is shrinking.

“We are working a little bit out of this building, and it’s very crowded. We have about five freezers in here, about three refrigerators, and we also have freezers and refrigerators in the homes of other volunteers,” said Murawski.

And as the MCFP faces growing need, they’re also facing higher prices.

“We started out, and we had nine people on the first day for distribution. And now, we’re seeing 80 to 100 families at each distribution,” said Murawski. “Our food costs have risen exponentially, too. We are spending maybe $3,000 to $5,000, each distribution, of our own money, in addition to what’s donated.”

Get Involved

Nechay says the expanding number of folks who depend on the Milton Community Food Pantry, only serves as a reminder of a crisis that touches every corner of the country.

“We really believe that our neighbors in need should never go hungry,” said Nechay. “In a country as rich in resources as we live in, we want to make sure that we’re doing our part to make sure that our neighbors never have hungry bellies when they go to bed at night.”

Murawski says the Food Pantry is always looking for volunteers, and could use donations. Adding, lending a helping hand is always worth it.

“I’ve always been very upset that there are people that are going hungry in this country. We’ve all felt the pangs of hunger on some day or another. But, to feel that on a daily basis, is just not right,” she said. “We are such a nice, close-knit group. You feel so good after you do the distributions, and you help people. It’s just a warm feeling in your heart.”