Corner Cupboard Foodbank has served as the primary food distributor for Franklin Township and Greene County for years, providing “regular monthly food boxes to individuals facing food insecurity in our county,” according to the website. 

One of the noted regular events that the organization has been putting on is a weekly cooking class, organized by West Greene resident London Whipkey as a service project for National Honors Society students in the area.

     “We have a nice sized kitchen, but we always have our hands full, so having London do that is a huge help for us,” said Candace Tustin, who is the Executive Director for the Foodbank. The season for the classes are soon coming to a close, as Tustin noted that this Thursday, Feb. 9, and next Thursday, Feb 16, are the final two lessons for the year.

     As it comes to the rest of the Foodbank’s operations, their service extends far past that of these lessons, as being the only Foodbank in the entire county and supplies eleven total pantry sites scattered across the local area on a rotating basis. According to Tustin, the process involves receiving food from local retailers, and sending them out to individual sites. It is a process that requires a lot of assistance. 

As a non-profit, the Corner Cup Foodbank is reliant on a lot of funding and grants, and with a staff of five people including Tustin, she noted how invaluable the volunteers she receives are.

     “We do what we do with the assistance of many people.” Tustin noted, and the website makes a firm note of that, stating that over 150 volunteers work with their pantries, which are able to distribute food boxes to around 2,000 individuals every month. On top of volunteers, Tustin noted that donations from citizens are also needed to maintain their mission, with a portion of their funding going towards a 26-foot food truck, which according to Tustin, would make food distribution across the county much more feasible. 

     Beyond it all, Tustin never forgets the purpose of their mission. Having grown up with just her single mother, and having to rely on the generosity of those who serve with food banks, the tenured member of the Foodbank noted how “humbled” she is to have her career being something that serves so many people who are in similar positions that she was during her childhood, and took another opportunity to praise the work of those who volunteer for the foodbank’s mission. 

     “All of the people at the 11 pantries, they volunteer their time there. They do it out of the goodness of their hearts.” Tustin stated, showing that their efforts and sacrifices do not go unnoticed, or unappreciated.

For those who wish to donate, instructions can be found on the Corner Cupboard Foodbank’s website at cornercupboard.org, as well as Facebook page.