By Satina Tolman
For The New Era
For more than four decades, Sweet Home Emergency Ministries has been a pillar of support for individuals and families in need.
Through food assistance, clothing donations, and community outreach, SHEM’s goal is to ensure that no one in Sweet Home goes hungry or without basic necessities. However, as the demand for services rises, so does the need for volunteers.
Meeting the Community’s Needs
Since its founding in 1980, SHEM has evolved beyond an emergency food pantry into a vital resource that provides Sweet Home residents with food, clothing, and essential items to help them through difficult times. SHEM operates with a core group of 23 to 26 volunteers who dedicate one day a week to service, Key staff members such as Pantry Manager Cindy Rice, Office Administrator Julie Dedman, and Front Office Coordinator Molly Laycock often work three or more days weekly to keep operations running smoothly.
In total, it takes more than 600 volunteer hours each month to sustain SHEM’s services.
In 2024 alone, SHEM distributed 3,650 food boxes, feeding nearly 12,000 people, including more than 3,500 children. Each emergency food box contains enough meals to sustain a household for up to five days. Additionally, fresh produce, bread, and other perishable items are made available weekly.
SHEM also provides 180 “Day Packs” per month to the homeless, filled with ready-to-eat food that requires no cooking or refrigeration. However, the organization faces challenges, including a decrease in pet food availability. Currently, SHEM assists about 200 families with pet food but, due to the loss of their pet food supplier, has had to limit distributions to once a month.
Beyond food assistance, SHEM collaborates with community partners. Manna Meals, a partnership with the United Methodist Church, provides free hot meals three times a week and relies on 27 to 30 volunteers each month to operate.
Carmen’s Closet, managed by Laycock, distributes more than 31,000 clothing and household items annually at no cost.
Laycock encourages people to use Carmen’s Closet but to use it honestly.
“Everything is free and freely given.” she explained. “But we have to count everything that comes in and goes out so we have the numbers for grant writing so we can continue to serve.”
The Power of Community Support
Local churches play a crucial role in sustaining SHEM. The Nazarene Church and Riverside Christian Church provide monthly food donations, while Calvary Chapel in Crawfordsville has a minister currently on SHEM’s Board of Directors. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has made significant contributions, including a semi-truck of nonperishable food in November and 100 gallons of milk in March, which was distributed within a week.
Local schools also contribute meaningfully. Hawthorne Elementary recently collected more than 1,400 boxes of cereal, while Oak Heights led a successful ramen noodle drive. Sweet Home High School’s leadership class organizes food drives year-round, allowing students to make a tangible impact in their community.
Community members can also support SHEM by donating fresh produce during harvest season.
“It’s wonderful,” Laycock said. “It makes me feel very good when we can give fresh produce.” Clients especially appreciate items like strawberries and zucchini, which add variety and dignity to their meals.
Urgent Need for Volunteers
Despite strong community support, SHEM faces a critical challenge: a declining volunteer base.
Donations and volunteers are needed for a variety of tasks, including:
- Basic cleaning: Sweeping, vacuuming, dusting.
- Maintenance: Repairing a leaking sink faucet, cleaning gutters, fixing the shed roof, repairing food carts, plumbing, yard work, and painting.
- Office and pantry assistance: Learning and managing daily operations.
- Tech support: Website development and management.
- Donations: Food of all kinds, especially fresh produce. Pet food (volunteers will divide it into portions). Monetary donations are always welcome as well.
Volunteer opportunities are available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon, with additional chances on Fridays for delivery reception and cleaning. Volunteers also assist with purchasing needed supplies and picking up additional food donations three times a week. Please note that SHEM is closed on the 2nd Saturday of every month.
Youth are encouraged to get involved. Volunteering at SHEM looks great on job, college, trade school and scholarship applications, and also fosters a sense of community and responsibility. Youth as young as 13 can volunteer with parental permission, provided they are responsible and follow directions. Opportunities are also available for individuals with limited mobility, as some volunteer tasks can be done while seated.
Laycock emphasized the need for new volunteers to sustain SHEM’s mission. “That in itself would help relieve a lot of stress,” she said.
Rice echoed her concern: “We are not going to be here forever.”
Cross-training new volunteers is essential to keeping SHEM running smoothly and ensuring continued support for the community.
Answering the Call
SHEM’s work is invaluable, but it cannot continue without the help of volunteers and donors. Whether through financial contributions, food donations, or hands-on assistance, every effort makes a difference.
Those interested in volunteering can visit SHEM during operating hours or contact the organization through its website, www.SHEMfoodbank.org.
“There are times when I am fearful of where things are going,” Rice said. “But with a united community effort, SHEM can continue to serve Sweet Home for generations to come.”
For those looking to make a difference, now is the time to get involved. The need is great, but so is the impact of a helping hand.