The Lincoln Regional Food Cupboard is the 2018 Agency of Distinction. Started in that town more than 30 years ago by St. Mary of Lourdes Catholic Church, the Lincoln Food Cupboard is now supported and run entirely by volunteers from seven local churches, providing services for 13 towns around the Lincoln Region.
The services include a back-pack food program for four schools, a commodities program for the elderly, and delivery service to shut-ins. Churches collect an item each month to donate to the cupboard and solicit cash donations from community members and businesses as well. Staffed primarily by volunteers, the Lincoln Food Cupboard also runs a thrift store in Lincoln, where shoppers can find items ranging from clothing to furniture, glassware to shoes. Donations come from surrounding communities, and profits go to the Cupboard.
Bonnie Gray is happy to volunteer, “I enjoy talking with the clients we serve and helping to meet their needs. The clients seem appreciative of the help they receive, and the volunteer experience is very meaningful to me.”