On July 26, 2016, Larry Blocker of "Help Us Feed Montgomery County" spoke to the Magnolia Rotary Club about the work his group does to help feed the poor in Montgomery County, Texas. Pictured above is Larry Blocker.
 
Larry Blocker told everyone that "Keep Us Fed Montgomery County" started as a class project of LMC (Leadership Montgomery County), Class of 2015. It is a volunteer based organization whose mission is to share healthy nutrition with our hungry neighbors while keeping surplus food out of the waste stream. However, recently it has been taken over by the "Homeless Coalition of Montgomery County, Texas". The Montgomery County Homeless Coalition exists to be a catalyst in the community to obtain optimal results for those needing assistance in Montgomery County. 
 
Larry told us that "Keep Us Fed Montgomery County" does not have an office building because it is made up entirely of local volunteers who pick up food from grocery stores, restaurants, caterers, and charity events who have extra left over food that they need to get rid of.  "Keep Us Fed Montgomery County" deals primarily with prepared food but will also take in other food items when available. Their goal is to pick up and deliver food within 30 minutes of pickup to people and or other food ministries in need of it. They have no way of keeping foods frozen or refrigerated but will use ice packs during delivery when needed. They are currently averaging about 25 pickups and deliveries a week and have 10 to 15 part time volunteers. In order to locate recipients of the foods and beverages they pick up, "Keep Us Fed Montgomery County" relies on a "Food Distribution Connection" to provide the names of those in need. Sometimes it is individuals but many times it can be other organizations that provide for the poor in Montgomery County.
 
Larry told everyone that "Keep Us Fed Montgomery County" has the following needs:
 
1. Volunteers - must be 17 or older and be able to work at least 90 minutes a week picking up and delivering food and beverages in their own vehicle. Must be dependable.
2. The names of recipient organizations (within Montgomery County, Texas) who can use prepared food and beverages including water.
3. Monetary donations of any amount.
4. A refrigerated truck.
 
When asked, Larry named numerous grocery stores, restaurants and large beverage companies in the area that provide the food and beverages needed. As an example, Larry told everyone that since the beginning of this year, Pepsi Beverages Company in Conroe, Texas has donated 656 cases of sodas and 1,370 cases of water to "Keep Us Fed Montgomery County" recipient organizations. In other words, that's more than 1,400 gallons of soda and 4,100 gallons of water. 
 
Larry also told everyone that all volunteers must take a number of training hours in food service training before helping out. Wherever possible, "Keep Us Fed Montgomery County" will try to marry a single volunteer or set of volunteers to the same pick up and distribution to help the businesses and organizations in becoming familiar with the volunteer(s) for security reasons.
 
As Larry put it, "Keep Us Fed Montgomery County" tries to become between prepared foods and the trash can in order to help those in need within Montgomery County. He listed several organizations who rely significantly on "Keep Us Fed Montgomery County" to feed the hunger.
 
Larry then answered a number of questions from the audience before concluding his presentation. For more info on "Keep Us fed Montgomery County", see http://keepusfedmoco.org/.
 
 
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