Don't Know Adam from Adam?
Look in the baskets for a clue.

On the first Sunday of each month, wicker baskets (Adam's Baskets) placed strategically around the church fill up with non-perishable food items, generously donated by Wilshire members for distribution to people in need.

People relatively new to Wilshire may have wondered about the origin of the ministry and the name. The name “Adam” is not related to Adam of Adam-and-Eve fame. The food-collection baskets were named to honor Adam Malcik, a Wilshire youngster who was killed in an accident in 1987.

His parents, Vy and Michael Malcik, longtime Wilshire members, have since moved out of state, but the legacy of their son lives on in Adam’s Baskets. Wilshire remembers him as a generous child, wise beyond his years, eager to help others by sharing what he had.

Recovering from the tragic loss of their son, the Malciks decided to use some of  the money they had saved for Adam’s future to begin this outreach ministry. Some was used to purchase food to stock Wilshire’s food pantry; some to provide the collection baskets.

The Malciks were active members of the Compass Class, whose members collect and organize the contributions.

“Many of us go to the early worship service and go to eat together after Sunday School,” said Shaeron Moorhead, one of the members involved in this ministry. “After lunch, we come back to the church, gather up all the donations and decide what our church pantry needs to keep for people who come to the church. We also give occasionally to members of the Eritrean congregation, but most of what we collect is sent to the Wilkinson Center.

“Everything that’s given is used,” she emphasized. Donations should be canned, boxed or packaged and may include non-food items such as shampoo and deodorant (including hotel samples).

The Eritreans ask only for pasta, rice and beans. Other items the church food pantry could use more of include baby food and canned fruit. For times when people come to the church needing something to eat immediately, Vienna sausage and peanut-butter-and-cracker packages are ideal. Cash donations also are welcome.

All Wilshire members are encouraged to show God’s love by remembering the hungry around us and making it a habit to bring donations the first Sunday of the month.