A frigid morning on Jan. 26 didn’t stop almost two dozen volunteers from moving boxes of food to help those in need. Volunteers assisted the Shepherd’s Nook Food Pantry to deliver a shipment of food to the Salem Organization for Local Various Emergencies (SOLVE). Organizer Paula Myler said that Shepherd’s Nook had received 24 pallets of food, six of which were delivered to SOLVE. Myler said SOLVE helps local residents with emergencies, providing things like food, clothing, and utility assistance.
“I organize aid for Shepherd’s Nook and SOLVE,” said Myler.
Myler said she received the call about the shipment late at night, and had to rush to gather volunteers to move the stock. According to Myler, the shipment came from Salt Lake City, and was non-perishable food items.
Myler looked on as happy volunteers moved dozens of boxes of food. Due to the configuration of the doorway and street, volunteers had to make repeated trips back and forth to collect each box. Myler said that all the boxes had to be moved by hand, since the goods contained on each pallet had to be split up and distributed.
“They can’t be actual pallets, we had to mix them,” she said.
According to the Shepherd’s Nook at the Lifeway Center’s Facebook page, it is the largest food pantry in the area, serving over 1,800 people.
SOLVE was formed in 1985 as a local group of concerned citizens who saw the need for an emergency aid program.
Today, SOLVE runs a store of low-cost items from donations, and uses the proceeds to assist Salem area residents who find themselves in “a temporarily difficult situation.” Volunteers run the store, including processing donations and keeping the doors open during business hours.
