"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."
- Credited to British novelist Anne Isabella Ritchie
A modern application of this proverb is served by The Pantry, an initiative of Table of Grace Church.
The Pantry provides the ingredients for a complete, nutritious meal, as well as the recipe to prepare the meal.
And future plans include cooking classes to teach food preparation.
The Pantry, located at 3328 Bennett Lane, now is open from 1-7 p.m. on the fourth Friday of the month. Information is available by calling 291-3561.
Staffed by volunteers from Table of Grace and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, its mission is not only to feed the hungry, but to provide better nutrition, according to organizer Stephanie Scott-Huffman..
To that end, the Pantry this month partnered with the NEEED Project Community Garden to offer fresh produce.
"There's something about fresh, just out of the earth," said organizer Kolbi Ward. "It's an added perk."
The Pantry benefits from the support of other other local organizations, restaurants and businesses, according to Scott-Huffman, who cited discounts from local grocery stores, food drives held by churches and day cares, and other contributions and assistance.
Hosting a food drive for The Pantry is easy because the meal is based on a single item, like pasta or oats. "Donors don't have to go into a store and wonder what they are gong to get," Scott-Huffman said.
The Pantry also serves as a venue where Lincoln University students volunteer to fulfill service-learning projects.
Among them is Kaitlin Fritz, who said The Pantry's approach "is more beneficial to the average person who doesn't cook on a regular basis or can't afford all the ingredients for one meal."
For people who are hungry, a meal is necessary and a nutritious meal is satisfying. Learning the recipe and skills to prepare it, however, are lifelong gifts.