As one of a few hunger-relief agencies in the western part of Holmes County, Lakeville United Methodist Church never turns anyone away.
“That was one of the reasons why we saw a need,” said Sandy, the pantry director. “There was nothing really in our corner of the county, and we wanted to help.”
Sandy has been involved with the pantry since its conception in 2007. “I just feel that God has called me to help in this way. I’ve become more aware of the needs in the community and what a blessing it is to help others.”
The pantry typically serves 35 to 40 families per distribution through its biweekly food programs, although numbers have been down recently due to the pandemic. This is attributed to elderly clients feeling less safe about going out in public.
“We’re a low-income area with a lot of unemployment. It’s a small community away from the larger towns, so I think there’s always been a need here,” said Sandy.
In 2012, Lakeville United Methodist Church joined the Foodbank’s network of hunger-relief partners. Sandy said this partnership has saved funds for the pantry and has helped it become more cost-effective.
“It’s been a great relationship, and we’re always so thankful for everything the Foodbank has available,” Sandy said.
“Before we joined the Foodbank’s network, we were limited in our spending and what we were able to provide. But because we’re able to buy larger quantities of food at a reduced rate, it has helped us tremendously.”
The Foodbank and its partners have always shared the cost of procuring, storing and distributing food to the community. But because of the community’s generosity in 2020, the Foodbank is able to temporarily waive these fees, allowing partners to invest in their capacity and other resources to better serve their community.
Because of the 2021 shared maintenance fee waiver, Lakeville United Methodist Church will be able to invest in its capacity to source and distribute even more food. This savings will enable Lakeville United Methodist Church to purchase a third refrigerator this year to source, store and distribute more food.
Thank you for your continued support. Your generosity has directly helped our hunger-relief partners and the people in their community facing hunger. We couldn’t do this work without you!