Today we’d like to introduce you to LeAnn Thiner.
Hi LeAnn, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
WCCFS Worthington Christian Church Food Shelf was started by a group of ladies in the early 1980s as a result of the financial disruption of the farm economy. The need for young family farmers to help make ends meet was sought to be met. Over the next few years, the need was felt community wide and that group decided to make a partnership with Second Harvest and add this as a part of our partnership with the community.
Things plateaued over the next several years, different directors, but same mission and at that time about 70 families
were serviced. The goal was to help make ends meet with approx. 4 days of food once per month to a family was the goal. That has been maintained to this day.
When COVID came the need surged exponentially. During that time the client numbers grew to the point that Second Harvest asked us to do what ended up being 6 group distributions with Seeds of Justice in Worthington. These events served over 500 families each distribution with lines up to a mile long at the Nobles County Fair Grounds and Worthington Christian Church. This was in addition to the normal weekly distributions as in the past. This could not have happened without partners from all levels of the city and community.
Then the current economic environment which has led to our most recent challenge. The economic slowdown and high inflation are driving our client load in excess of 200 families a month at times with an average family size of almost 6 members, making children a huge part of our work.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Each season provides challenges and obstacles. However, the current one has probable challenged our system and the system in general by far the hardest. In the past we had avenues we could access to obtain additional resources and partners to continue the mission.
During the COVID experience, funding was maintained and availability of nutritional resources remained adequate to help meet the need. Working a little harder to meet increased demand including the additional mass distributions over those approximate 18 months helped meet the need.
During our current economic situation, a perfect storm has arisen 1. Costs are up 2. Supply from the food bank network is challenged and sometime some items were not available. 3. Because economy is tough donors are struggling themselves and can’t sustain giving 4. Due to more people falling into the poverty grid demand is up. More people, higher cost, less available, and giving challenged. The basket of food has changed in contents due to economic the environment, but a sound nutritional delivery is maintained.
The common denominator in overcoming the obstacles at this point is again the partnership from other churches, school sports teams, school classroom participants, Law enforcement, City staff, individuals and groups who donated time and effort to fill a need.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
LeAnn and Bernie’s work as Co-Directors of WCCFS. This includes being part of an all-volunteer staff. No payroll expense and no overhead (which is supplied by Worthington Christian Church in the form of space and utilities). Our job is to provide a safe, friendly space, and a nutritional based offering to our clientele. A good work environment for the staff, An effort to provide for the greater community in Worthington
LeAnn and I are involved in all the normal food shelf activities: Budgeting. Accounting team, Statistics person, Shelf Stocking, Inventory management, Delivery truck unloading, Advertising, Fund raising, Donor conversations, Staffing and Scheduling work Loads. Food distribution team one night a month.
We do what all food shelves do follow up on commitment and partnering with the community and clients to serve the needs
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