Pop-up milk ministry - Aurora Methodists host drive-thru milk giveaway Wednesday

Posted August 18, 2020 11:00 pm

Submitted by Wesley United Methodist Church

Lekha Cristanujaya of Oswego, left, and Debbie Fisher, Aurora, load a box with four gallons of milk into a recipient's car at an Aug. 12 drive-through milk giveaway by Wesley United Methodist Church in Aurora. Courtesy of Al Benson

Got Milk? Wesley United Methodist Church in Aurora did and discovered a whole new way to serve its community Wednesday, Aug. 12.

At 8:30 a.m., members of the church's outreach committee began distributing four-gallon boxes of milk to persons or organizations in need. The pop-up "Free Milk Pantry" was held in the church parking lot while supplies lasted.

Additionally, volunteers drove across town to distribute milk to residents of two Montgomery apartment complexes off Montgomery Road.

The Rev. John Bell, church pastor, invited the public to claim milk.

Wesley UMC congregants Debbie Fisher and Bob and Shirley McKnight of Aurora with Lekha Cristanujaya of Oswego transported surplus dairy products from Aurora Interfaith Food Pantry to the church.

Nathan Cristanujaya, Leha's son, and Sarah Swenson of Aurora waved "Free milk today" signs at passing motorists on Galena Boulevard.

The distribution was part of the Aurora Interfaith Food Pantry's "Move the Milk" promotion.

The pantry is receiving 3,000 gallons of milk monthly from Gourmet Gorilla Inc., a Chicago food service firm specializing in providing early childhood, K-12 schools and institutions with breakfasts, snacks, lunches and suppers.

Since its inception in 2008, it has provided millions of meals to early childhood and K-12 schools throughout Northern Illinois and Wisconsin.

For information on Wesley UMC, visit www.wesleyumcaurora.org or www.facebook.com/WesleyUnitedMethodistChurch.Aurora/.

For more on the Aurora Interfaith Food Pantry, go to www.aurorafoodpantry.org or www.facebook.com/aurorafoodpantry/.

Nathan Cristanujaya of Oswego advertises a drive-through milk giveaway Aug. 12 at Wesley United Methodist Church in Aurora. Courtesy of Al Benson

Aurorans Debbie Fisher and Bob McKnight load a box with four gallons of milk into a recipient's car at a drive-through milk giveaway at Wesley United Methodist Church in Aurora. Courtesy of Al Benson

Gallons of milk await pickup at a drive-through milk giveaway at Wesley United Methodist Church in Aurora. Courtesy of Al Benson

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