It started with peanut butter: staff organization collects food

‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink?’  Matthew 25:37

It started with peanut butter.

That was the first “Food of the Month” requested by the Erskine Staff Organization (ESO) when the group began its food collection project this fall, with donations passed on to United Christian Ministries of Abbeville County (UCMAC).

Nancy McKay, assistant to Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Brad Christie, pitched the idea to fellow ESO members at one of the organization’s monthly meetings. They all agreed that collecting food to assist families in the area was a good idea. Donation baskets, bins, and boxes were set up around the campus.

It became clear that these collection efforts were close to McKay’s heart.

She decorated the academic office with colorful bags, boxes, cans, and jars.

She stacked peanut butter and jelly, pasta and spaghetti sauce, soup, tuna—whatever came in that week.

“If you want to make Nancy happy,” Christie was heard to say, “bring her food!”

Collected food is taken to the Abbeville Food Bank, run by UCMAC and located at Main Street United Methodist Church in Abbeville.

“I usually get Joseph Spate with the Euphies to pick everything up and bring to me, then I box it up and take it home, and my husband takes it to the food pantry since they want it delivered on Friday mornings,” McKay said. “They always appreciate whatever we bring.”

Dena Hodge is president of ESO this year. Other officers include Nancy McKay, vice president; Betsy Elsner, secretary; and Beth Hawthorne, treasurer.

Canned fruits and vegetables are being collected this month.

Please take your donations to the Academic Office or the Mail Room in Belk Hall, McCain Library, or Moffatt Dining Hall.