Church Brings Treasure Boxes To Ojai
Quality food at affordable prices goal of Pastor Thomas
By Logan Hall
The Ojai Valley Wesleyan Church is hunting for treasure boxes. It’s not the kind you could locate with a map or find on a sunken pirate ship. The church has set out to get the Ojai Valley involved in The Treasure Box, a nonprofit subsidiary of the food distribution company, Good Source Solutions, that is dedicated to making quality food available to families at an affordable cost.
According to the company’s web site, a Treasure Box consists of 21 to 25 pounds of frozen foods ranging from beef and pork to fettuccini and chicken parmesan, enough to feed a family of four for about a week or an individual for almost a month. Families or individuals can purchase a box from their local host site for $30 and there are no qualifiers or restrictions. The contents of the boxes have a retail value of $65 to $100, and The Treasure Box has ties with more than 500 major food manufacturers, including Foster Farms, Nestle and Sara Lee, giving people access to grocery store-quality items.
“The main thing here is that the treasure boxes help people in all financial situations,” said Weselyan Church Pastor Lyn Thomas. “A member of our church had heard about it and it looked good so we said, ‘Let’s do it.’”
While the boxes seem like a great way for families to stock up on quality food at a decent price, it can also be a great way for people to donate to their community. A Treasure Box can be purchased and donated to a needy recipient. “People can purchase a box and designate the Help of Ojai’s Community Assistance Program as the recipient,” said Thomas. “C.A.P. can then distribute it to who they know.”
Everyone has a chance to fill their freezer with name-brand foods that won’t empty their bank accounts, and the company also seems to focus on including healthy items in the boxes. “The food is all really healthy and high quality,” said LaNette Donoghue, of the Wesleyan Church. “You don’t feel like you’re getting secondhand food at all.”
People interested in purchasing a Treasure Box will have until Aug. 15 to place their order to guarantee delivery in time for the month of September. Call the Ojai Valley Treasure Box at 640-5946 or log on to ojaivalleytreasurebox.org.
That is excellent and I am all for that kind of spirit!
Molly, in your comment above about the chruch and politics creating doubts, keep in mind that the Lord could care less about politics. He’s not left or right, conservative or liberal. What He is most interested in is you and your relationship with Him. He wants you to be a servant of Him, not a church. Render unto Ceasar what is his, and to the Lord what is His.
I know Pastor Lyn personally, and he does not require conversion to Christianity to get a box of food, nor does anyone have have to listen to him preach as part of the process. He’s to busy trying to keep the line of cars flowing so they can distribute out the food quickly and effeciently. A lean, mean food distribution machine.
Pastor Lyn is a true humanitarian. Hope you might meet him some day and you will know that he is truly a fine man and serves the community as chaplain for the fire department bringing solace to many
just a kid,
Leave the heavy lifting to mature adults such as myself.
Anon.5
Unfortunetly the Bible only clarifies its stance on grievous words, not stupid words. Oh well, go figure!
Anon.5, such a comment pinpoints your exact location.
I just caught up with the online article here.
Our intention is to serve our community with an open hand and open heart, regardless of people’s response. As we do, we hope people will encounter the love of Jesus Christ in our actions and others will be encouraged to serve as well.
Plenty of need to go around, let’s be part of the solution!
Molly,
You’re an idiot.
Anon.5
but it seems like what the Ojai Valley Wesleyan Church is doing is in the true spirit of giving which I appreciate.
Let me clarify my comment for all those attacking it. Giving is good, charity is good, giving with strings attached is bad , especially if it is a religious charity. I accepted Jesus as my lord and saviour so that pretty much makes me a Christian, however, I have doubts now. The Church has become very political and often bends ways and rules to fit their agenda and I am saddened at how little most Christians exhibit the true spirit of the teachings of Jesus.. no doubt this will garner more angry comments from Anon. 5 inc. even though in Proverbs it says a soft answer turneth away wrath and grievous words stirreth up anger.
Wow, its like I kicked up the motherlode of all idiots, God you guys assume a lot! I give my time and money to the worthy ALL THE TIME! Did I say I was an athiest? Maybe I am a Buddhist monk!
I give out food and assistance, so don’t say atheists are selfish
Molly,
What would I have to do to become “one of you?” Just feed myself?
Anon.5
Molly, “One of them”…why don’t atheists give out food and assistance? Oh, because they only care for themselves? At least churches are willing to give.
As long as people know it is ok to accept the boxes without having to become one of them.
Bible teaches – feed the hungry…
The Ojai Valley Wesleyan Church is tha thing.They helped my Grandma out and they are all right.Pastor Lyn Thomas is happening in my book and I’m sorry to say that I’m not able to give much help to the cause.These People are dope.give them a hand even if it’s just pennies.I’m sure Starr is represented. Thanks pastor for my Grams and helping her out. Yo.