by Sandra and David Lange

Turning $1,200 into Grocery Store Gift Cards

Recently the News Review published a letter from Jon Bell. Jon recommended donating the $1,200 that most of us recently received from the IRS. Jon’s donation had a double benefit because he purchased 12 debit (“gift”) cards from Co-op – each for $100 – and gave them to the food pantry at St. Hugh’s. The second benefit is the increase in sales to the Co-op.

We plan to follow his example, so that 24 people will each receive $100 in food value and the Co-op will receive $2,400 in sales.

All the larger grocery stores in Greenbelt sell debit/gift cards, perhaps for different values. And two additional stores serve different parts of Greenbelt: Giant (Beltway Plaza), Safeway (Greenway Center).

Where to Donate the Gift Cards

There are two food pantries in or near Greenbelt:

Ladies of Charity St. Hugh’s Catholic Church, 135 Crescent Road. (Rectory Pantry), Open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 pm. Envelopes with grocery store gift cards may be deposited in the mail slot on the right side of the Parish House – see asterisks in photo above. Do not use the front door.

Help By Phone at Berwyn Presbyterian Church, 6301 Greenbelt Road. Open Monday to Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Just before McDonald’s, turn into 63rd Avenue, enter the church parking lot and find pantry entrance on the right side of the church. You’ll see a sign for the pantry and a white door.

Need a Ride?

The City of Greenbelt offers a 12-passenger, wheelchair accessible van that operates Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. To arrange for transportation with the Greenbelt Connection, residents can register at least 24 hours in advance for pickup by calling 301-474-4100. Senior citizens, individuals with disabilities, and children (6 to 18 years) $1 each way. All others $2 each way. The Greenbelt Connection does not operate on holidays observed by the city.

Originally published in the April 23, 2020 issue of the Greenbelt News Review. 

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