The goal of FOOD SHARE is to help families save about 50% on their groceries, while encouraging the building of relationships with their neighbors in the community. There are no qualifications...if you eat, you qualify.
Who can participate?
Any one from the affluent to those with struggling budgets can participate in SHARE. You see, even those who can afford to spend more for food are being good stewards with their money by simply being more frugal. What's more, the minimal profits in each share of food sold go to support this program and sometimes those who can't even afford to buy a share. And if you're really not interested in participating for whatever reason, we do take donations, and the donation for what we call a "sponsored share". That means your donation goes to buy food for a neighbor in your community that needs help.
How do I participate?
Come by Abundant Life Fellowship at 1330 North Cedar in Tahlequah to place and pay for your order. Abundant Life will accept Cash, Food Stamp cards, or take a check to cover the cost of your order. You can also place your order over the phone at the SHARE main office and we can add your order and have it delivered to Abundant Life. The number for FOOD SHARE is (303) 428-0400, or 800-933-7427. If placing an order over the phone with the main office, you can use a credit card (Visa, M//C), Quest card, or check by phone.
After you place your order, go back to Abundant Life Fellowship to pick up your order during the designated distribution//pick up day and time. (These days and times are also listed in the newspaper and website).
How does FOOD SHARE achieve this?
We select about twenty items that you're most likely to buy at the grocery store, including fresh fruits, vegetables, and frozen meats. Then through a national affiliate network, we purchase massive quantities of these items at very low prices. At no time do we ever accept donated food for distribution. Then through a network of volunteers at our warehouse and distribution centers known as "host sites", we deliver the food to these host sites where you pick up your order.
As a non-profit organization, SHARE relies heavily on volunteers and passes on the huge savings by our reduced expense. Unlike a traditional grocery store, we don't maintain inventories, expensive stores, large employee bases, etc. We rely primarily on word of mouth advertising. Plus we're in it for you, not for the organizations profits.
You say build community? How?
Our host distribution sites are generally churches, senior centers, schools, community centers, etc. The experience of picking up your "Share" of food at the host site is almost like a community party. People begin to know each other and many meet new friends. Many love and support the program so much that they ask how they can help out next month! Actually we encourage 2 hours of volunteerism for every participant. We consider volunteering anything from working at the host site or warehouse, to babysitting, to sharing a meal with a neighbor or friend. Virtually anything that you do for anyone not in your immediate family for free is volunteering. Most people find that they're already doing it without realizing it. With FOOD SHARE, we feed both the body and the Spirit.
We welcome you to the FOOD SHARE family and hope you enjoy the program.
