Following the purchase of a market heifer during the Cowley County Fair 4-H/FFA Market Livestock Auction held at the Winfield Fair Grounds on Aug. 1, Cowley College donated nearly 700 pounds of meat to Manna Ministries in Arkansas City and the Winfield Community Food Pantry on Thursday.
The college began purchasing cattle from local 4-H members and donating the beef to local food pantries in 2010, according to a news release from Cowley Friday.
Cowley College President Dr. Randy Smith met with Winfield Community Food Pantry volunteers Cathy McClurg and Dana James in Winfield.
“We have not been able to have meat for quite a while, so we are very grateful for this,” James said. “This is wonderful and will help so many people.”
The Winfield Community Food Pantry is housed in the Grace United Methodist Church apartments just north of the main building of the church. The pantry is dedicated to assisting the people in northern Cowley County who are in need of quality service, useable food items, and a nurturing and caring atmosphere.
Families coming to the food pantry must complete a referral form, have a picture ID, as well as have proof of a Winfield area address, and meet the income guidelines.
Manna Ministries is a faith-based food pantry housed at the First Baptist Church, located at A Street and Central in Ark City. They welcome all donations and hold a distribution on the third Saturday of each month. The food pantry continues to grow as they service the southern half of Cowley County.
Lisa Longshore said Manna Ministries serves numerous families each month and is glad to have the college as a partner to the food pantry.
“We are continually blessed by Cowley College purchasing and processing the beef and then helping to distribute it in our community,” Longshore said. “We are very grateful for the college.”
Entrance to Manna Ministries is thru the north parking lot of First Baptist Church on Chestnut Avenue.
Families will need to bring picture ID, proof of income, and proof of residence in order to receive the packaged beef.
Smith, who in his first year as Cowley president, was happy to be able to assist those in need.
“We are thrilled to be able to help our communities, and our food banks are a vital resource to our community,” Smith said. “We know the food banks are in need of meat, so this is a way for us to help support them and the families in need.”
The meat was processed by Stroot Lockers in Mulvane.
