Hello Friends!

We wanted to share (with permission) the following letter because it spoke to the true mission of Project FoodStock with such a wonderful simplicity:

Dear Amee and Elizabeth,
My name is Sarah Johnson. I work part time at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church but primarily I am a pre-school teacher. My daughter, Mandy Dain, and I are Co-Chairs for this year’s Prince of Peace Women's Retreat at Camp Wapo in Amery, Wi.

Here is a brief description of my journey to you:
Almost four weeks ago, two women (Pat Jarvi and K.Z. Koboski) who work at the Mission Outpost, here at church, led our staff chapel. During their worship time they shared that it is not always possible to keep the food shelf at Mission Outpost filled.

I went home and was discussing this with my husband. I was outraged! It seemed like with a congregation of 10,000, we should be able to keep the food shelf stocked. I was felt as though our members were not doing their part when it occurred to me that our little family was not doing our part either. There was a multitude of reasons that flooded into my brain of why we could not help - money has been so tight for us. I have been working two jobs and really do not have the time and energy to take this on, and yet something kept pressing on my heart. After a serious discussion, Brant and I decided that we would incorporate food donations into our life style. Each time we went to the grocery store for ourselves, we would pick up 1 item to be donated to the food shelf. We could assimilate that expense into our tiny budget, just a single item. Then words of doubt crept into my head, "one item will not make any difference." I thought about all the single things that make an impact: 1 vote, 1 prayer, 1 smile. I knew that in our own small way, we would make a difference. We have been doing this consistently for about a month now, and it has become a family passion for us. My 11 year old son is enthusiastic about making suggestions of what item we should buy for the food shelf "this time." I am not always as organized as I would like to be and find myself going to Super Target to pick up a few things a couple of times a week. Each time, we also buy 1 item for the food shelf. That is what we pledged to ourselves to do - buy one item for the food shelf every time we went to the store. We have not found this to be a burden at all, but instead we have been blessed beyond measure. Buying regularly for the food shelf has brought our family closer together. My husband and I are so proud of our son and his willingness to help others. Without being aware of it, we had presented a model for him to follow.

This seems like a good place to put a "happy ending," doesn't it? However, my story continues:

Last night, my family and I attended a benefit concert to raise food donations for local food shelves. The concert was hosted by River of Joy Lutheran Church. Pastor Steve had shared during staff chapel that River of Joy would be hosting this concert. Music was donated by the talented Heatherlyn Hamilton-Chronis. During the concert there were presentations from different agencies that support food shelf donations: Community Action Council, Feed My Starving Children, Thrivent Lutheran, and...Project Food Stock. My heart was lit on fire!
I immediately realized that I could implement a regular food shelf donation pick up within my pre-school classroom. I could introduce your concept via my monthly newsletter. Families could bring in food items during the month and at the end of each month I could bring everything in to a food shelf. What better way to involve 4 year olds into giving back to their community?!

This too, seems like it would be a good place to put a "happy ending," doesn't it?
However, my story continues:

I am at this moment in my church office, working on this year's Women's Retreat. As always, I am a bit unorganized and have been praying "Lord, lead me; Lord, lead me." I will share with you now, that indeed He has. I have been led to you.

Our Women's Retreat theme is: Relax, Reflect, Recharge, Rejoice! How I never dreamt that a year ago when I came up with the theme, that it would fit so perfectly into the mission of Project Food Stock. I believe that we are called to Reflect on all that we have and all we can do. We can Reflect on why there are so many with so little. We can Reflect on what kind of impact just one woman can make. We can Reflect on what kind of impact 125 women, their families, and all of their friends, neighbors and co-workers can make. We are a powerful entity and I believe God is calling us to make a difference. In doing so, we will truly Recharge and be able to Rejoice!