Prineville church offering food to those in need

Eastside Church in Prineville is the newest agency to partner with the NeighborImpact Food Bank to provide supplemental food to those in need, officials said Friday.

The Brown Bag program offers fresh produce, dairy products and other perishable food and grocery items through the grocery store food recovery program at NeighborImpact. Individuals can select food in a shopping-style manner for their households.

Eastside Church hosts this program while staff and volunteers sort, display and assist in the distribution.

“We were looking for practical ways to help and support our community,” said Bonnie Allen, women’s pastor for Eastside Church and food coordinator for the Brown Bag program.

“We heard what NeighborImpact was doing in our area and surrounding communities and we’re excited to be able to partner with them and help bring food to those who have a need.”

The program kicked off in Prineville in mid-November, and organizers said it was a success.

“The first distribution helped feed 80 people, and everyone was so appreciative and grateful,” Allen said. “Our volunteers were so thankful to be a part of such a great program. It is all about community, and it’s a beautiful thing to be a part of.”

The Brown Bag Program at Eastside Church is located at 3174 NE 3rd Street in Prineville. Distribution takes place on the second Monday of each month at 3 p.m. No ID or proof of income is required, and the sign-in process is a lottery system.

For more information on NeighborImpact’s Food Program, visit the website at www.neighborimpact.org/services/food or call 541-548-2380.

NeighborImpact’s Food Bank is the regional affiliate of the Oregon Food Bank. The Food Bank collects and distributes over 2.8 million pounds of food to 46 local agencies in Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson counties and at the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Emergency food sites help over 22,000 individuals every month.

Since 1985, NeighborImpact has been a leader in developing solutions and bringing resources to Crook, Jefferson and Deschutes County. The agency offers a diversity of services meeting basic human needs for food and shelter, while enriching people’s lives by providing access to increased education, skills, and hope for the future. NeighborImpact is a private nonprofit organization that receives federal, state and local grants, foundation grants, and donations from individuals and businesses in our community.

NeighborImpact is a “21 Cares for Kids” partner.