KINGMAN – The Arizona Elks have made a donation enabling the replacement of an essential freezer to the Kingman Area Food Bank. This freezer is used daily as community members are provided emergency food in the food bank store. Donations from St. Mary’s Food Bank, Safeway, Walmart, Basha and Smiths as well as several other local retail establishments are collected daily using a Food Bank refrigerated truck. Frozen items are stored in a large warehouse walk in freezer. As Mohave residents pass through the store, they collect canned, baked, and packaged dry foods as well as dairy and frozen foods to feed their families. Having this freezer allows for an efficient way to put frozen products to feed their families.
The State Association of the Arizona Elks provided a donation of $4,992 to replace the freezer they were using, which was broken and required repairs costing thousands of dollars. Jerry Grimes, the owner of the Shell station on Andy Devine in Kingman championed this cause for the community with the Elks. Without his support this would not have happened. They worked through Home Depot and a local electrician in Kingman and were able to get the unit delivered, and have it installed within the month. Installation was completed on Nov. 5, and on Nov. 6 they were able to use this unit to provide 53 local families with frozen foods.
The Kingman Area Food Bank is a 501c3 charitable organization, not government funded and relies totally on volunteers and donations to continue to provide emergency food in Mohave County. From their warehouse on Butler Avenue, they receive and distribute over 1.4 million pounds of food annually (2019-2020 weights) to strive for elimination of hunger in Kingman and Mohave County. The COVID-19 crisis has increased the community need, while complicating the distribution process for people to obtain this much needed food. Everyone coming to the Food Bank must wear a mask, be subject to “no contact” temperature checks, and have identification or a way to prove local residency. If you don’t have a mask, the food bank has a limited number available. Social distancing is required and only nine people at a time are permitted into the waiting room and six people at a time in the store. They discourage children under 18, however they will not turn anyone away during operating hours. More than 40 volunteers work every day to distribute food and we can always use more, or you can make a tax-deductible donation, please contact them.
For more information on the Food Bank, please visit kingmanareafoodbank.org or contact Mark McGregor, Executive Director, Kingman Area Food Bank, 2930 E Butler Ave., 928-757-4165 or 928-716-4497, kfbexecutivedirector@suddenlinkmail.com.
