Greendale, WI, USA
“WE SERVE” is the foundation of Lions commitment and the Greendale Lions Club epitomized this motto during the COVID-19 crisis.
On March 27, 2020, a suggestion from a community member launched the Lions Club into action. The plea was to assist in replenishing the food pantry shelves of a local church as they were having a difficult time in getting enough donations from their parishioners. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused hardship and food insecurities for many more families than this food pantry normally served and with the Easter holiday coming up, the need may grow even more.
Within one day, the Lions Club President, pitched the idea for a Food Drive, gained approval from the Greendale Lions Board and rallied local community organizers to advertise. Immediately, the club members volunteered to collect the donations on Saturday and Sunday April 4th and 5th, 2020. Within hours of the announcement, village businesses and residents showered the Lions Club with contributions: collection boxes, gift cards and specialty food items to name a few. Even before the Food Drive took place, there was over $2,000 collected in online monetary donations!
During the weekend Food Drive, Lions members continued to collect food and money all while practicing “social distancing” and safe sanitization. The outpouring of donations from the local community continued at a rapid pace and on the Monday after the Food Drive, the Greendale Lions Club was able to present the St. Alphonsus Parish Food Pantry with a momentous amount of food (including hams, children’s Easter candy packages and butcher shop gift cards) along with just over $5,000 in money and gift cards. Incredible!
Janet Kloser, spokesperson for the St. Alphonsus Food Pantry, spoke of her gratitude for the effort: “We greatly appreciate each person’s and organization’s participation and great generosity! Thanks to everyone! The amount of donations, in food, money, boxes, space, and promotions is very humbling. We will be able to serve so many people, and no doubt our numbers will continue to go up over the next months.”
This Food Drive showed “club and community” successfully coming together to eliminate a need during unprecedented times. The Greendale Lions are in the process of discussing organizing a second Food Drive soon and continuing the effort going forward.
A word of thanks
“My goodness, let me say on behalf of the food pantry team and clients, we are just overwhelmed and grateful for these amazing results!!
We greatly appreciate each person’s and organization’s participation and great generosity! Thanks to everyone! The amount of donations, in food, money, boxes, space, and promotions is very humbling. We will be able to serve so many people, and no doubt our numbers will continue to go up over the next months.”
– Janet Kloser, Ellen Krueger, and Cathie Wilke