BANA members will be the first in Bend to help Bethlehem Inn collect food for the winter via its Blue Bag Program. Courtney Gallant will bring a supply of Blue Bags to the November 12 membership meeting for all of us to take home and fill. Each person filling a bag is invited to bring it to Bethlehem Inn and see the new facility.
For those who are new to Bend, Bethlehem Inn is a family shelter for those experiencing homelessness. It recently opened a new building on Third Street on the site of its original shelter.
Join the board in helping fill the pantry with wholesome food by taking a Blue Bag home and filling it with staple food items.
The Blue Bag Program is a creative approach Bethlehem Inn is taking to meet the shelter's annual food needs. "While this year we are still promoting our “traditional” food drive approach to the community," says Courtney Gallant, "we are testing the Blue Bag Program approach with specific groups like BANA, to see if the program will meet our food drive needs while also streamlining the process and making it easiest on donors."
Bethlehem Inn was inspired to try this idea because of the way the Bend Food Project coordinates its drives. However, while the Bend Food Project supports myriad organizations and community members in need, Bethlehem Inn’s Blue Bag Program will support the food needs of the Inn and food collected from the program will feed residents staying at the Inn.”