Clarkson Baptist Church is offering the community a hand-up instead of a hand-out with its new food program, one designed to stretch any household budget.

The church is sponsoring Angel Food Ministries -- food at a discounted rate to any family interested in participating.

With the menu pre-set, it is much like the commodities program run by the government except there are no income guidelines. You can buy as many boxes as you want.

The only requirement is that you have the $25 fee for each order and you bring your own box.

The groceries fit into a medium-sized box, and each month's menu is different from the previous month. Boxes include a mix of fresh and frozen items with an average retail value of about $50.

Generally, one box of food feeds a family of four for about a week, or a single senior citizen for almost a month, said local organizer Tara Sallee.

The food is all the same high quality one would purchase at a grocery store. There are no second-hand items, no damaged or out-dated goods, no dented cans without labels, no day-old breads and no produce that is almost too ripe.

Also offered are specialty boxes such as steaks, chicken and pork. Many participants in this bonus program appreciate the expanded choices.

Additionally, Sallee said, there is no limit to the number of units or bonus foods an individual can purchase, and there are no applications to complete nor qualifications buyers must meet.

Angel Food Ministries, like most retail grocery stores, participates in the U.S. Food Stamp program, accepting the EBT card.

No personal checks are accepted, only cash or money orders, she said.

“We served 97 families in January, so I feel the program is a huge success,” Sallee said.

“ It is good to know people are able to feed their families for a reasonable price so there is money left over to pay an extra bill.”

Sallee said she got the idea from a friend in another county and found the information about Angel Food on the Internet.

After presenting it to her church, she received the okay to do the program in December. Seventy-five families were served that month.

Angel Food Ministries is a non-profit, non-denominational organization dedicated to providing grocery relief and financial support to communities throughout the United States, according to its website.

The program began in 1994 with 34 families in Monroe, Georgia, and has grown to serve hundreds of thousands of families every month across 32 states.

Angel Food Ministries crosses denominational lines and has spread the good news of the Gospel of Christ through salvation tracts that are placed in each food order, the website continues.

Clarkson Baptist does not receive any portion of the money collected, Sallee said, and no one receives a salary for the work done with the food program. All the money collected goes to the Angel Food Ministries for the food provided.

Orders for the February distribution may be placed until February 7, and any organization interested in participating in the program may contact Tara Sallee at 242-0004. By Theresa

News-Gazette Reporter