Rarden Group Feeds Hundreds of Hungry People Every Day
Daily Bread, an organization devoted to feeding the hungry, feeds hundreds of people in need every single day out of their base at the Rarden Community Center. They serve meals at the Main Street Community Center and also deliver meals to the elderly.
Scioto County Commissioner Scottie Powell praised the organization last year, “They saw a need and stepped up to fill it. People show up and say they need five meals, and they are more than happy to hand them out.”
Founder Pam Syroney says, “We are serving an average of 114 meals each day. Sometimes as high as 162 meals in a single evening. We start handing meals out at 4 pm and close our doors at 5:30.” Syroney says the organization does not take days off. “We have not closed our door even one day, rain, shine, sleet, and snow. No electric, no problem. Holiday, no problem.” The group has been helping the hungry for three years.
Last year, Scioto County Commissioners allocated $150,000 to help the organization expand. Pam says the group received the money right away and are in the process of expanding their services. “We bought a property close by with a storage building on the lot. A 40’x60’ block building so we can renovate and occupy for a larger, more convenient space to serve anyone who wants a free meal. “The drawings and permits are all finalized and ready to move forward with the construction now.”
Pam says the work of feeding the hungry is done entirely by volunteers, and that leaves precious little time for fundraising. “We are consumed with planning, preparing, serving, and cleaning up each and every day. That leaves no time for fundraising. We are so blessed to have a community that wants to help stop hunger. Seniors don’t need to choose between food or medicine. Children aren’t going to bed hungry. We have been blessed beyond imagination when it comes to supporting this cause. We rely on donations.”
Even with the money from the county, the group still needs to raise a bit more to complete the construction project. “God bless anyone, and everyone, for anything they might do to help make this possible,” Pam says, “But even more than that, thank you to those that come and get food for your family, your child, your friend, or your neighbor.”
You can learn more about Daily Bread by joining their Facebook group.