Bedlam Farm Blog Journal by Jon Katz

Paper is getting expensive. We need help

P.S. Also, Tomorrow evening is the Cambridge Pantry Food Giveaway; thanks to you and others, every pantry member will get a frozen pizza and all the trimming. Thanks. I’ll be there. Abobe, the pantry chapel is stuffed with Thanksgiving food—all the trimmings. 

Above: Bananas on the shelf.

The cost of paper has surged, and food pantry banks are no longer able to purchase it. This is not just a financial issue for the pantries but a community problem.

The rising costs are forcing food pantry members and patrons to make difficult choices, sacrificing food for necessities like toilet and towel paper.

Sarah is reaching out for help, and community support is crucial. For the first time, the pantry is facing a shortage of paper products, and she’s hoping we can help.

I set out to understand the rising cost and had no trouble finding out why:

The cost of paper products is rising primarily due to a combination of factors, including increased demand for packaging materials from the e-commerce boom, supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic, rising energy costs, labor cost increases, and a shortage of wood pulp caused by reduced timber production. These factors, particularly impacted by global events like the war in Ukraine, are leading to a gap between supply and demand for paper products. 

Food pantries are especially sensitive and vulnerable to fluctuations in food and paper products. This is yet another painful problem for these families.

I’m grateful for how much I am learning and am eager to share. There is so much to keep track of.

If you can, please help out. Here are the best prices Sarah could find for tissue and paper towels.  They are much lower than supermarkets.

Toilet paper prices are also soaring; we’ll get to that later.

Sarah’s choices:

Puffs Ultra Soft Non-Lotion Facial Tissue, 8 Family Boxes, 124 Facial Tissue, 8 Family Boxes per Box by Puffs, $13.49.

Sparkle Pick-Zize Paper Towells=12 Regular Rolls, Everyday Value Paper Towel With Full And Half Sheets, $7.28.

“We are out of both items,” reports Sarah. We used to get them through the Regional Food Bank, but now they are unaffordable, so we are going without them. We would be grateful for any help. People really appreciate it when we have them.”

Thanks for helping. You can access the Cambridge Food Pantry Amazon Food List anytime, day or night, and make your own choices if you care to. Everything on the list is urgently needed, as the number of people needing food support and government subsidies are falling.

Sarah Harrington and The Cambridge Food Pantry Won A Big ward tonight, which could help raise donations, local attention, hunger awareness, and financial grants. There was a lot of competition.

It was a significant affirmation of the beautiful work she and her amazing volunteers have done this year to help the pantry modernize and use tools like the Internet (people like me) to advocate for it.

The Pantry Board of Directors President, Pastor Jim, a shy and quiet man who has done tremendous good, accepted the award with her. I got a wicked cold today and wasn’t sure I would make it, but it was worth a trip to the Christ the King Center in rural Greenwich. She got the award early on, so I made it all the way. I was eager to see the winner.

The overwhelming response from the community was a key factor in this achievement. Hundreds of county residents nominated individuals, and over 1,000 people gathered at the meeting hall, demonstrating the community’s integral role and unwavering support. This widespread backing is a testament to the pantry’s remarkable work and the impact it has on our community.

It’s a big deal in our country. Everyone follows these events, and Sarah has scored another victory for hunger awareness and the Cambridge Food Pantry. Sarah is determined to make the Cambridge Food Pantry the best food pantry in the country.

Tonight, Sarah has brought us all a step closer to her vision. Congratulations, friend. We are all proud of your achievement and inspired by your dedication to making the Cambridge Food Pantry the best in the country.