Help them help those who need it

MUNCH, the food pantry and thrift store in Willow Springs, has a problem. Though the nonprofit has long been the go-to receptacle for donated items of varying value, organizers report an ongoing issue caused by the way some donors have left their treasures. 

Two or three times a week, volunteers arrive to find donations piled up around the doors. MUNCH uses donations of clothing and household items to sell in the thrift store, which in turn helps to fund the food pantry. When donations are left outside, usually the items are picked through, and frequently items of value are stolen. Board members and other volunteers try to keep up with any donations left outside, but it isn’t always possible to catch these deliveries before they make a mess. 

Over the weekend of October 19, someone dropped off a large quantity of fabric leavings on the dock, volunteers report. The next day, volunteers arrived to find three-to-four times the amount of fabric scraps dropped off again, piled up and blocking the doors. These scraps were of no use, and disposing of them filled the nonprofit’s dumpster completely. Before the weekend was over, a donor dropped off two-to-three pickup truck loads of household items that could have been sold. Again, these items materialized after hours.  

If the donor had contacted MUNCH, arrangements could have been made to accept goods in such a large quantity, but instead it created a mess and invited thieves. 

Volunteers fervently request that any donations be dropped off during MUNCH’s open hours. 

“It creates a mess,” said volunteer Mac Gum. “We are just trying to provide a service to the community.”

Hundreds of families in Willow Springs rely on the food pantry at MUNCH. 

“Most donors are very considerate,” Gum continued. “It’s just a few who do this, and some may not even know.”

MUNCH is open from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday and from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturdays. They are closed on Thursdays and Sundays. Call (417) 469-3221 with questions or to schedule a drop off.