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What if I wanted to set up a church emergency food pantry for when the supply line shuts down?

There would also be no gasoline in this scenario so how would elders/shut ins/big 4x4 owners make it to the pantry. And as for the left over pumpkin cans... gotta think of the dogs (last hot meal will be our dog ). Our chihuahua loves that canned pumpkin. I would instead of the food pantry idea, give everyone a 17lb bag of rice and the same of beans. It would keep them alive for awhile. That’s what I have sealed up in the attic, or garage I forget.
 
A few of us at church have been having a discussion about what would happen if the food supply lines shuts down later in August as some have predicted and the stores had no food. I know that we have quite a few people who are aware and have stocked up and are ready to hunker down and wait it out for 2, 3 or more months. I also know that we have a lot of people who live paycheck to paycheck and don't have the extra money to put anything extra up. These are the people in our church who will need help.

So I approached our elders and suggested that we set up a food supply, at the church, for our church family for when/if things go bad. I was met with enthusiasm but then was tasked to present the idea and a plan to the elder table when they meet on Monday. Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap.

I am well versed on setting up my preps at home and have done the same thing for the last 30 years or so. Setting up something for an unknown number of people, who may not have electricity or running water (think hurricane, EMP blast, hacking of essential services or just general no goods in the pipeline). We have a regular food pantry that anyone can come to and get pre-made boxes of food but there is paperwork and some religious discussion. What I foresee is setting up a storage area with non-perishable foods to be distributed to church family members if that shut down does occur.

Anyone have any good ideas on how best to sell the idea to the elders? Any idea on where to get gross quantities of canned and boxed good at good prices (I'm going to Sam's today to help top off my stores and will be pricing stuff). I don't know if it is best to ask for donations from church members of cash, or is it better to ask them to bring canned goods. Probably cash is better as we would have better control over what we get and not 400 cans of canned pumpkin left over from Thanksgiving.

I checked the usual suspects, CDC, Red Cross, LDS church and didn't come up with ideas that work for us.

Wise words? Forget the whole idea? Step out smartly and march on?

I really feel something is coming soon. It may be the rapture in which case I'll leave a lot of good stuff at home and at the church for the folks that don't go to enjoy while they can. It might be limited items, limited store hours and limited access to cash and banking. It may be World War IV. Something is happening. Many people are feeling it.

Thanks
Looks like you made a good suggestion and got tasked for the project! Years ago, I attended a church that did canned food drives in the church for the purpose of having a non-perishable food pantry to help those in the church and to assist those outside the church. You just need a lockable room with shelves to collect and store all types of non-perishable foods including baby foods. And dry goods like paper towels, TP, detergents, and even personal hygiene products. The church used large boxes and even large plastic barrels to collect donations. Today, my church helps the local rescue mission through food donations and monetary donations. The rescue mission gives out food bags to the local community but also feeds street people two meals per day in addition to others in need.
 
Food will be available. Expensive, but available.

Maybe everyone doesn't need a $200 pair of Nikes, a $1200 cell phone and a $70,000 pickup.
 
Where did you read that food supply lines will be halted or altered in a major way in August?
This was my question, I don’t see anything to disrupt anything at this time. We are running good and can’t find enough drivers to fill the seats. But the industry is running strong.
 
This was my question, I don’t see anything to disrupt anything at this time. We are running good and can’t find enough drivers to fill the seats. But the industry is running strong.
This. I work in alcohol delivery and sales are as high as ever with a shortage of drivers and other people. Zero indication that the pipeline has any plans of shutting or slowing. Feels like a scare tactic to me. People also were saying a few months ago that we should be buying up as many 30 round AR and AK mags as we could afford and now they're back to being almost given away on many online retailers
 
Unfortunately I have bad issues with elders in churches. I have played in praise bands for years and have seen the ugliness within a church. Elders don't trust them sorry my experience and if a SHTF scenario ever happen your church better be heavily armed because your stash will be gone very quick.
 
No, in short no...
A "public stash" is never good. Sounds like a good idea but this world is ugly. The people nowadays are more zombie like than ever before. No not the undead craving brains. But when it comes time, and mass hunger is abroad, these people be willing to kill anyone for a morning meal. They'll (continue) to burn down cities to get their way.

History can teach alot of things. I myself plan to avoid bread lines as much as possible. You'll be safe in line, may pass out from hunger waiting as lines never move cause of line cutters. But you'll be safe until your 100 yards away from national guard, then your easy pickings.

Best to look at natural disasters for guidance. Compare Katrina to Texas freeze over. Both are prime examples of how the "government" will fail us. Difference being, Texas had many of "old fashioned" folk to help eachother. Katrina had massive government outreach, they'd round people up to create "safety", yet many people being raped and food stripped from the week. Really wasn't until the bunch of old fashioned people show up till things got better.

Best thing to do, have a plan (everyone is different), have a place, and probably most important, have a strong small "family". Raiders are real, look at 3rd world countries. Having a small group able to build, provide, and defend you land (like the Bundy's...no not the shoe salesman) is you best chances.

Do not let people know what you got, even worse, where it's at
 
If trucks stop moving it will be two days or less for shelves to be empty and 2 weeks for a large portion of the population to start dying or just already be dead.
Those that prepped for this should be OK.
Rona just showed us how supply lines will cause this to happen.
Reality is that no one wants to face this fact that trust the Government.
YMMV and posted for entertainment value and not meant to hurt your feelings and the ramblings of an old man who really does not care.
It will take the average American way longer than two weeks to starve to death.
 
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