The Arnold Parks and Recreation Department is collecting canned goods and other nonperishable foods for the Arnold Food Pantry.
Arnold is one of 18 cities across the St. Louis region taking part in the Feed the Masses food drive, with the parks department from each city competing to bring in the most food and be crowned the champion for the drive’s inaugural year.
All the food will be donated to pantries in the various communities.
“The recreation supervisor (in Ballwin) reached out to us and just asked, ‘Hey do guys want to participate in this?’” said Ajsa Hukic, a recreation supervisor with the Arnold parks department. “Given that we love a friendly competition, as well as helping people and giving back, we decided that we would do it.”
The drive runs through Nov. 30, and donations may be dropped off at the Arnold Recreation Center, 1695 Missouri State Road.
The Arnold License Office, which is operated by the Arnold Jaycees, will match all donations to the Arnold food drive, Hukic said.
The food drive couldn’t come at a better time, said Ed Fitzhenry, the Arnold Food Pantry’s executive director.
He said the Arnold Food Pantry receives donations of food from local stores, but those donations are down at least 20 percent this year.
Also, the annual Turkey Trot in Arnold, which brings in donations of food for the pantry, as well as other regular food drives and fundraisers for the pantry, have been canceled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Arnold Food Pantry also lost revenue when it had to close the Treasure Shoppe thrift store this spring because of the pandemic.
Hukic said Arnold rec center employees are helping raise awareness about the food drive. Maintenance supervisor Karen Fay is one such employee. Not only is she trying to spread the word about the event but she also decorated the donation area at the rec center and plans to donate to the food drive every week.
“I got the competitive side coming out of me,” she said. “I already bought my 10 items for next week.”
Fay said she is motivated by personal experience to help with the Feed the Masses drive. Growing up in a family of 10, Fay said there were times when her family struggled to make ends meet and were thankful for support from the community during those times.
“Now that I’m older and I work, I’m giving back because I’m able to give back,” she said.
Both Fay and Hukic said the primary purpose of the food drive is to help those in need.
Hukic said COVID-19 has put a strain on families in Arnold.
“The recipients would definitely be grateful. Right now, I just know that with (COVID-19) there’s quite a few people who have lost their jobs,” she said. “So, with the donation (of food from the pantry) maybe they won’t have to worry about dinner or breakfast.”
Fitzhenry said right now, the Arnold Food Pantry is running low on cereal and ramen noodles. The pantry’s website also lists preferred items, like chili, canned soup, applesauce and pasta.
While food donations from retailers are down, Fitzhenry said local churches, businesses and residents have come together to make sure the pantry continues to help those in need.
“Because of the food drives that we’ve engineered and just the overall generosity of people in the Arnold area, we’ve almost made up for the lack of food that we’ve been getting from the stores,” he said. “So, we are right about where we need to be.”
Fitzhenry said the Food Pantry also accepts cash donations.
He said he hopes people will keep the Food Pantry in mind after the holiday season.
People interested in donating may learn more at arnoldmo.org/feed-the-masses-canned-food-drive-2020/. Those who need assistance may go to
wefeedthehungry.org or call Fitzhenry at 314-707-1212.