County food pantry receives donations from care-a-van

The 10/11 Can Care-a-Van returned this summer to help food pantries across Nebraska stock up on nonperishable food items.

Can Care-a-Van is an outreach to help gather food donations for local food pantries. One of the Can Care-a-Van locations was in Neligh on Tues, June 7. Bev Alderson, manager of the Antelope County Food Pantry, had volunteers set up in every community in the county to help gather donations.

Rita Shabram, Jeff Shabram, and Wyatt Shabram volunteered to run the Can Care-a-Van tent, located outside TJ's Market, in Orchard, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

"The morning hours were pretty busy, but it has been great all day," Rita Shabram said.

The Orchard location was successful in receiving 809 pounds of food to donate to the Antelope County Food Bank.

"The grand total was 2,270.6 pounds of food, but our biggest donation came from Orchard," Alderson said.

Students who attended vacation Bible school at the Orchard United Methodist Church also brought donations throughout their time at Bible school and they received three boxes full of food to add to the community's donations.

"It really is great for the community because people go into the store and buy a couple of things to donate," said Rita Shabram.

Donations are welcome all year long at the Antelope County pantry. Some items that are especially needed include: sugar, flour, cereal, canned meat, baking supplies, and spices, but all donations are appreciated, according to Anderson.

The food pantry cannot accept home canned items.

The Antelope County Food Pantry is located at 110 W. 5th Street in Neligh, and it is open the first and third Thursday of every month from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., but Alderson is willing to open the pantry if people are in need.

"We have people who benefit from the pantry from every community in our county," she said.