The Enid News and Eagle, Enid, OK

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  • Libby Fosmire and Milo Allen sort the canned food donations during the Horn of Plenty food drive last fall. (Staff File Photo by BONNIE VCULEK)

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April 4, 2010

Plenty is needed for drive

By Robert Barron, Staff Writer Enid News and Eagle

ENID — In its 28th year, Enid’s Horn of Plenty officials will hope to collect 120,000 food items during the spring drive Sunday.

The drive will be 1-5 p.m. with the goal of replenishing the shelves of the food bank until time for the fall drive. Merle Phillips, president of Horn of Plenty, said shelves will be empty by the time of the drive. A total of 18 organizations are members of the Horn of Plenty system and receive both food and money from the organization.

“Cash has become more important because they can get real bargains on food sometimes,” he said.

Volunteers are lined up to collect non-perishable food items from Enid, some surrounding communities and Vance Air Force Base. More than 100 neighborhoods in Enid will be canvassed. During the fall drive more than 690 people volunteered to collect food and stock shelves, Phillips said.

“We’ve had a good response from volunteers,” he said.

Some agencies depend totally on Horn of Plenty and what it collects and also use cash donations to purchase food. Phillips said the Horn of Plenty’s operating costs are low thanks to the city of Enid, which furnishes the old fire station building at 121 N. 16th, and to volunteers who helped build an annex.

“This is our 28th year of operation and no one has ever been paid a dime,” he said. “Any excess money goes to buy food.”

The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits awarded Horn of Plenty first place in the community service category last year, giving the food bank $7,500. They received another $1,000 donation from OG&E, Phillips said.

Phillips, his wife, Phyllis, and other volunteers were able to attend 60 hours of training at the nonprofit center.

Phillips asked anyone who will contribute money to send it by mail, rather than placing it in the food sacks. The money may be sent to Horn of Plenty, P.O. Box 5583, Enid, OK 73702.

Last year, Vance volunteers and volunteers in Waukomis and the Wheatridge neighborhood took sacks prior to the drive and asked people to fill them and place them outside for the drive. Those areas had nearly 100 percent participation, Phillips said.

This year, seven other neighborhoods also are experimenting with that procedure. The sacks will be taken out by Boy Scouts.

Phillips asked volunteers who canvass neighborhoods to wear badges explaining who they are, as well as placing one in the window of the cars they use.

Anyone wishing to contact Horn of Plenty may call 234-6612 or 237-4932.

Organizations that are members of Horn of Plenty are Abundant Life, Department of Human Services, Saturday Manna Feeding Site (First Presbyterian Church), Head Start, Hope Outreach, House of Prayer, Living Word Fellowship, North Garland Church of Christ, Our Daily Bread (St. Francis Catholic Church), and Philadelphia 7th Day Adventist Church.

Also, Salvation Army, St. Gregory’s Catholic Church, St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, Sandra Beasley Independent Living Center, Shepherd’s Cupboard (Bethany United Methodist Church), University Place Christian Church, YWCA Women’s Crisis Center and Zoe Bible Church.

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