Sharing the Harvest is the title we use for the ministries of mercy arm of the Missions Ministry. We currently have three drives per year—two for food and one for water. The food that we collect goes to the Rio Vista Center and the water we collect goes to the Phoenix Rescue Mission.
Food drives
The Rio Vista Center is a nonprofit Christian organization that responds compassionately to the needs of the Valley’s less fortunate through mobilizing and working with the community. They operate through partnerships with organizations and individuals. They are located at 1431 E. Southern Avenue in Phoenix and have been serving those in need for over 20 years. They believe strongly in the words of Christ, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me” (Matt.25:35-36 NIV).
Facts on Hunger
Why should we give to food banks and food pantries? The economic environment has led to many food pantries running out of food. Food-insecure (low food security or very low food security) households are 13 times more likely than food-secure households to obtain food from a food pantry.
- The World Health Organization estimates that one-third of the world is well-fed, one-third is under-fed, one-third is starving.
- One out of every eight children under the age of 12 in the U.S.goes to bed hungry every night.
- Each year, three million children under the age of five die because they are undernourished. Far more children live with under nutrition than die from it. For infants and young children, the effects of chronic malnutrition in the early years of life are largely irreversible.
- Somewhere in the world, a child dies of hunger every five seconds.
- Food banks and food pantries annually provide food to 37 million Americans, including 14 million children. That means one in eight Americans now rely on these agencies for food and groceries.
Research shows that preschool and school-aged children who experience severe hunger have higher levels of chronic illness, anxiety, depression, and behavior problems than children with no hunger.
Food Items:
Items should be sizes that would be able to fit in family food boxes for distribution.
- Canned fruits
- Canned vegetables
- Canned soups
- Assorted canned beans (refried, pork & beans, etc.)
- Canned tuna, small or large
- Canned meat or fish (chicken, beef, salmon)
- Canned pasta (ravioli, spaghetti, etc.)
- Instant mashed potatoes
- Boxes of macaroni & cheese
- Canned sauces (spaghetti, etc.)
- Boxes or bags of dry pasta
- Boxes of cereal
- Rice, dry beans
- Powdered milk
Our next food drive will be held in November 2013.
Water drives
As temperatures reach into triple digits over summer, the Phoenix Rescue Mission’s top priority is to provide heat relief to thousands living on the streets. The Mission anticipates distributing 3,000 bottles of water per week.
CASM’s goal during our water drives is to provide a minimum of one week’s worth of water for the Phoenix Rescue Mission.
Did you know?
- By the time a person feels thirsty, his or her body has lost over one percent of its total water amount.
- Water leads to increased energy levels. The most common cause of daytime fatigue is actually mild dehydration.
- Water is the primary mode of transportation for all nutrients in the body and is essential for proper circulation.
- In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.
- 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
Water Drive Items:
Cases of bottled water, 8oz to 24oz
Our next water drive will be held in July 2013.