WEEKLY VOLUNTEER BULLETIN
Oct 19
October Monday 19 - Saturday 24th 2026
"It's not what we do, it's how we do it."
— Wynema
Every guest who comes through our doors deserves to be treated with kindness, dignity, and respect. The way we serve is just as important as the service we provide. Thank you for being the heart of our mission every day.
⚠️ GUEST VISIT LIMITS & ELIGIBILITY CHECKS
🍞 BREAD INVENTORY UPDATE
We currently have an abundance of bread available and would like to make sure it gets into the hands of the families we serve.
Please be extra Xtra generous when offering bread to guests. Whenever possible, provide a variety of bread products, including: (6 bags in total).
1x Hamburger Buns
1x Hot Dog Buns
1x Bagels
1x Biscuits
2x Sliced Bread
🍞 IMPORTANT: BREAD STORAGE & HANDLING
We have noticed that some bread is being placed in the refrigerator. While this seems like a good way to keep bread fresh, it actually has the opposite effect.
✅ Please do not place fresh bread in the refrigerator.
Fresh bread should be stored at room temperature in the designated bread area and distributed throughout the week.
Why?
Food experts and bakers explain that refrigeration causes bread to become stale more quickly. The cold temperature speeds up a natural process in the bread's starches that causes the bread to become dry, hard, and lose its freshness. Refrigeration may slow mold growth, but it also significantly reduces the quality of the bread.
For bread that will be used within a few days, room-temperature storage is generally recommended over refrigeration.
Pantry Bread Policy
✅ Keep fresh bread outside of the refrigerator.
✅ Distribute bread throughout the week.
✅ Be generous when offering bread to guests.
✅ Any bread remaining by Monday evening will be discarded.
Our goal is to maximize the quality of the bread we provide while minimizing waste. Thank you for helping us ensure our guests receive the freshest products possible.
🥛 MILK AVAILABLE
We have received a generous donation of milk and currently have both:
Whole Milk
1% Milk
✅ Please distribute 2 bottles of milk to each guest while supplies last.
✅ Families with children may receive additional milk as available.
🥪 SANDWICHES, WRAPS, CAKE & TEA AVAILABLE
We currently have a supply of Fresh:
Sandwiches
Wraps
Fresh Cake Slices
Unsweetened Tea
These items are available for all guests and families.
❤️ Special Reminder for Homeless Guests
Kathleen and the team at “Waste Not Want Not” generously provide sandwiches and wraps to help support individuals experiencing homelessness.
Kathleen has shared that there was a time in her life when she came very close to experiencing homelessness herself, which is one of the reasons she is so passionate about helping others in similar situations today.
📌 Please remember: Sandwiches and wraps are not listed on the homeless preference/request sheet, so many guests may not realize they are available.
✅ Please be sure to offer sandwiches and wraps to every homeless guest, even if they did not request them.
These ready-to-eat items can make a significant difference for someone without access to a kitchen or food preparation facilities.
Families are also welcome to receive sandwiches, wraps, cake slices, and tea while supplies last.
📘 CLAY COUNTY RESOURCE BOOKLET
We have created a Clay County Resource Booklet containing information about local services and organizations that may be helpful to our guests and their families.
The booklet includes resources such as:
Food assistance
Housing assistance
Utility assistance
Healthcare services
Mental health resources
Employment assistance
Senior services
Veteran services
Family support programs
Other community resources
✅ Please take some time to review the booklet so you become familiar with the resources available in our community.
✅ Please offer and distribute the booklet to guests whenever appropriate.
While we may not always be able to meet every need directly through the pantry, we can often connect guests with organizations that may be able to help.
A referral to the right resource can sometimes make as much of a difference as the food we provide.
📞 PHONE SYSTEM UPDATE
The pantry phone system has been updated.
✅ New Voicemail Password: 2468
✅ New Phone PIN: 2468
Please make a note of these new credentials if you access the pantry phone system.
📱 TEXT MESSAGES NOW AVAILABLE ON THE COMPUTER
We are excited to announce that our pantry phone text messaging system is now synchronized with Google Messages.
This means that text messages sent to the pantry phone can now be viewed directly from the computer, making it easier to receive, review, download, and print documents provided by our guests.
✅ How This Helps Our Guests
Many guests have important documents stored on their phones but do not have access to a printer.
Guests can now text documents directly 📲 Pantry Text Number (904) 284-0814
Once a guest sends a document, it will appear immediately on the computer where it can be viewed, downloaded, or printed as needed.
🖥️ How to Access Text Messages
To open the messaging system:
✅ Double-click the "Text Messages" shortcut on the computer desktop.
From there, you will be able to:
View incoming messages
Receive photos and attachments
Download documents
Print documents for guests
Communicate more efficiently with guests who need to submit paperwork
🛍️ REUSABLE BAGS FOR HOMELESS GUESTS
We are excited to share that we have been able to locate a low-cost source for reusable shopping bags that will be used exclusively for our homeless guests.
These bags provide a more durable and practical way for homeless individuals to carry food, supplies, and personal items.
✅ Please offer a reusable bag to homeless guests when appropriate.
📍 The reusable bags can be found in the Homeless Cubby area.
These bags are intended specifically for our homeless guests, so please help us ensure they are distributed accordingly.
We hope this small addition will make a meaningful difference for guests who often have limited options for carrying their belongings and pantry items.
🔐 FOOD BANK MANAGER SECURITY UPDATE
To better protect the privacy and security of our guests, we will now be using individual usernames and passwords for Food Bank Manager.
✅ Each volunteer will have their own login credentials and password
✅ Please do not share your username or password with anyone.
✅ Always log out when you have finished using the system.
This enhancement was implemented as part of a recommendation and direct requirement from Baptist Health during the review process for our strategic investment award.
Protecting guest information is one of our highest priorities, and this change helps ensure that access to sensitive information remains secure and accountable.
Thank you for helping us maintain the confidentiality and privacy of the families we serve.
💡 WE WANT YOUR IDEAS
Our volunteers are the people closest to our guests and our daily operations, and your feedback is incredibly valuable.
If you have suggestions on how we can improve any area of the Food Pantry, please let us know.
Whether it's:
Improving guest service
Streamlining processes
Better use of volunteers
Inventory management
Guest communication
Facility improvements
New programs or services
Safety or operational concerns
We are always looking for ways to improve our service to the community and create a better experience for both guests and volunteers.
Constructive feedback is welcome and encouraged.
📧 Email hello@thefoodpantryofgreencovesprings.org
📱 Call or Text (904) 449-5363
No idea is too small. Some of our best improvements have come directly from volunteers who saw an opportunity to make things better.
Thank you for helping us continue to grow and improve our mission.
❤️ THANK YOU
Thank you for your dedication, compassion, and commitment to serving our community. Every smile, every conversation, and every act of kindness matters.
Have a wonderful day serving others.