Please bring food to SsAM to feed the hungry in our community.
Through December:
Support Ashbury UMC Food Closet!
In 2022, our “Feed the Hungry Ministry” visited pantries, featured five of them and collected groceries that fed 400- 450 people in need. Unfortunately, we have been seeing a continuing decline from a high point in the summer when we honored Peggy Shane by featuring her favorite food pantry.
Let’s finish the year by feeding at least 150 people, by bringing groceries worth approximately $500 to support the Asbury United Methodist Church (UMC) Food Pantry, in New Castle DE. The pantry has ministered to the surrounding community for years, touching the lives of many local residents in the New Castle area.
The Asbury UMC Food Closet was started because there were so many homeless in the area.
As the community of those in need has changed, so has the food closet. They stayed opened through COVID, welcoming individuals who were fearful of being able to feed their family. As more and more people lost jobs, one assurance they had was that the Asbury Food Closet was there to help them. Many of these individuals are now “regulars” and the need is evolving as the community is getting older and in failing health.
The surrounding community is mixed with middle-income and low-income families and individuals, some assisting their parents or other family members, the elderly and unemployed. They are grateful for the pantry’s support and assistance that allows them to gain a level of respect for themselves and to seek jobs. They may not be sure how they are going to feed themselves, but they are grateful that Asbury Food Closet is there for them.
Financial donations come from church members, fraternal organizations as well as grateful patrons of the food closet. The food donations come from church members and surrounding churches.
Asbury’s Food Closet is a place where families in need for basic essential foods can come every week to get a week’s worth of groceries.
The program has been enhanced to include frozen sandwiches, bread, pastries, various meats and vegetables. Once a month, soup or a hot dish is prepared and served to everyone who comes. They also share with other food closets when there is an abundance of goods.
The Food Closet can use the following non-perishable items: Canned vegetables, fruit, tuna or chicken, beans, dry milk, potatoes, pasta rice, cereal and juice.
Distribution: Every Saturday from 9 to 11
Deliver your food donations:
- To SsAM during November and December, 2022.
- M-F at the Ashbury United Methodist Church office at 300 E Basin Rd, New Castle, DE
Financial Donations: https://asburynewcastle.net/donate/ and indicate Food Closet. 100% of your donation will be used to purchase food from the Food Bank of Delaware where Asbury is a participating partner.
How Are We Doing?
If you donate directly to a food ministry, please let SsAM know so the church has some idea of the success of our campaign. Just click here to use the “Contact Us” email form on this website.
Other Food Ministries We Recommend
Emmanuel Dining Room Stationary Pantries
They have returned to serving meals to 500 people daily for lunch across the 3 locations and 100 breakfast recipients in their West Site.
They request #10 vegetable cans •Bottled Water •fresh vegetables •breakfast cereals. They are in desperate need of biodegradable plates (3 compartments) and sporks (combination spoon and fork) They will also be grateful for prepared sandwiches and snack foods (please wear masks and gloves while preparing).
They will also gladly accept financial contribution through the Ministry of Caring.
3 Locations:
Emmanuel Dining Room East
226 North Walnut Street, Wilmington, DE19801
(302) 652-2577
Distributes meals 7d/wk
Food donations M-F 9-11:30
Emmanuel Dining Room West
121 North Jackson Street, Wilmington, DE 19805
(302) 652-3228
Distributes meals 7d/wk including breakfast
Food donations M-F 9-11:30
Emmanuel Dining Room South
500 Rogers Road, New Castle, DE 19720
(302) 622-4555
Distributes meals 5d/wk
Food donations M-F 9:30-11:30
Sunday Breakfast Mission
110 Poplar Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
302-656-8542
Their Dining Room provides meals to the community and to the homeless in their shelter. In October and November, they served 176,000 individual meals to families and the homeless. Their food pantry provides for families in need.
Community meals: each evening at 5:45 and breakfast each morning
Food Pantry: distributes food boxes to families in need on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month, by appointment (877) 306-4663
Donations: Any time during the day, 7 days /week
At this time, they need: any type of non-perishable items (pasta, mac and cheese, canned veggies, canned soups, canned meals)
They also need clothing for the residents and their homeless population. They need thermal underwear, socks, and shoes with rubber soles. They are in great need of underwear.
You may also donate financially through www.sundaybreakfastmission.org
The pantries listed below will all accept:
•canned vegetables •canned fish •100% fruit and vegetable juice •canned chicken soup •ramen noodles •, oatmeal • baking mixes for pancakes, waffles and syrup. They will also take Laundry Detergent • toilet Paper • hand sanitizer • bath soap • dish Soap •disinfecting wipes •deodorant and diapers – size 4 and up. Check each pantry for additional needs.
Food Bank of DE
222 Lake Dr. Newark, DE 19702
(302) 292-1305
The Food Bank solicits, warehouses and distributes food through a network of 536 hunger-relief program partners: food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters and other community food providers.
Donations: M-F 8:30 -4:00
Drop the food in the cardboard tote under the awning next to the barn
They need: Hot and cold cereals • peanut butter •canned fruits •canned meats •8oz shelf-stable milk •canned vegetables •spaghetti sauce
The Food Bank of Delaware also accepts financial contributions in many different ways. Click here to learn more.
Lutheran Community Services (LCS) Food Program
(302) 654-8886 x107
They serve 2,000 families a month twelve locations in New Castle County. We are listing their stationary pantries with hours of operation. They accept all items listed above. They request that at this time, we focus on veggies, juices, jelly, canned fish, oatmeal/hot cereals, pancake mix and syrup.
LCS welcomes financial contributions in lieu of food.
Stationary LCS Pantries
St. Stephens Lutheran Church
1301 N. Broom St.
Wilmington, DE 19806
(302) 652-7623
Pantry hours: Mon, Tues, Thurs & Friday 9:00am -12:00pm
Produce distribution Wed 5:00 – 7:00pm
LCS Choice Pantry
2809 Baynard Blvd.
Wilmington, DE 19806
(302) 654-8886
Pantry hours: M, W, F from 1-3
Donations: Best drop off time Tuesday and Thursday between 9 AM and 3 PM
Unity Lutheran Church
2101 Lancaster Ave.
Wilmington, DE 19805
(302) 658-5288
Pantry hours: Tues, Wed, Thurs 9:30am – 11:00am
More Food Pantries
St. Mark’s United Methodist Church
1700 Limestone Road
Wilmington, DE 19804
(302) 994-0400
Pantry is open Wednesdays 1-2pm, Donations 11am-2pm.
They serve 30-40 families in nearby trailer parks. Half of the recipients drive to the church and the other half have the food delivered by Bill Perkins.
Typical weekly grocery packet includes: fresh vegetables • cereal • dry milk • canned meat or tuna • tomato sauce, • peanut butter • jelly • pastries • bread. Some non-food items that are always in demand are paper towels, toilet paper and baby diapers.
Claymont Community Center Food Closet
3301 Green Street
Claymont, DE 19703
Phone: (302) 792-2757
Hours of Food Distribution:
The Food Closet is open from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Wednesday AND the 3rd and 4th Thursday of the month from 9 am to 12:30 p.m. Evening hours are available the 2nd Thursday of the month from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Donations: Monday-Thursday, 8:00a.m. – 8:00p.m or Fridays from 8:00a.m. – 5:00p.m
The Food Closet can use the following non-perishable items:
Peanut butter and jelly, canned vegetables, pancake mix and syrup, pasta and spaghetti sauce, rice, cereal, canned meats & fish, soups / stews / chili
Hanover Presbyterian Church
1801 North Jefferson Street
Wilmington, DE 19802
(302) 658-5114
They serve 40-50 families
Pantry is open Thursdays 8-10am
Donations: M-T 8-12am
At this time, they need: peanut butter, jelly, spaghetti sauce, boxed pasta, canned beans, canned veggies, cold cereal,
