A community that gives more than it takes
I play what I feel is a nearly insignificant part in the Dartmouth Church of Christ (DCOC) food pantry in Hanover. But recently, I’ve gotten a peek behind the curtain. I’ve become aware of the sheer number of “steps” involved in actually getting items onto the shelves for someone who is at a disadvantaged stage in their life.
Food often seems to magically appear on the shelves, but there are hands, just like yours and mine, that play a part in every step of this process. For just a single shipment, a volunteer makes a drive to Manchester, New Hampshire, for a delivery pickup. This drive is made entirely voluntarily, with the driver providing the transportation, gas costs, personal time, and physical labor to load and unload the vehicle. Beyond these trips, church members donate their own money to purchase specific items patrons desperately need, such as personal care products.
Once the delivery arrives in Hanover, it is unloaded and stocked by more volunteers donating their free time. Then there is the overhead cost for the physical location —monthly heating, electricity, shelving, and heavy-duty appliances. I recently overheard that the pantry is in desperate need of replacing a failing refrigerator, a cost that will easily run well over a thousand dollars.
We are fortunate to have incredible local partners like the Lebanon grocery stores and Willing Hands contributing to this network. When you trace the chain all the way back, you also have to think of the hard work involved by the farmer who grew and harvested the food in the first place. An enormous amount of people and work happens behind the scenes.
I don’t go to bed hungry — at least not this year. With the direction of our nation, who knows what next year will bring. But I deeply value the idea that this safety net exists for someone who needs it. It is a place where a neighbor doesn’t have to make the agonizing choice between paying for insurance or putting gas in their car.
There is a nobility about a community that gives more than it takes. Actions speak louder than words, and the actions of the Dartmouth Church of Christ speak volumes. In a world where violence and division have become the daily headlines, this quiet, tireless network of local care is a reminder of what humanity looks like at its best.