Grants allow Highland food pantry to stock more frozen food

The Highland Area Christian Service Ministry (HACSM) has received two grants that will allow the food pantry to offer more frozen foods.

HACSM recently bought a new freezer with money from a Highland Area Community Foundation grant. The freezer is easily accessed and reliable, which means a lot to the staff and volunteers at the food pantry.

“This is a perfect example of community working together for others,” a release from HACSM said.

HACSM also received an Operation Rice Bowl grant from the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois and Catholic Relief Services to purchase meat and frozen vegetables.

Catholic Charities has a 75-year history of providing social services within the Diocese of Springfield. Operation Rice Bowl is a collection taken each year during the Lenten season at Catholic parishes throughout the diocese. It is designed to enhance the Lenten experience for participating families by focusing on values of self-sacrifice and fostering solidarity with the poor and hungry through prayer, fasting, learning and almsgiving; 25 percent of that collection is used to support local hunger-relief programs.

“HACSM is grateful for the generosity of the parishioners in the Diocese of Springfield. In addition to other support, the Operation Rice Bowl grant helps to fill the need of providing food to low-income families in the Highland area,” a statement from the food pantry said.

This story was originally published April 13, 2016 at 3:14 AM with the headline "Grants allow Highland food pantry to stock more frozen food."