Clarkson Baptist Church has been offering community members a hand up instead of a hand out with its food program for a year now.
The program, Angel Food Ministries, is a church-sponsored project that offers food at a discounted rate to any family interested in participating.
With the menu preset, it is much like the commodities program run by the government except there are no income guidelines. Families can purchase as many boxes as they choose. The only requirement is that families have the $25 fee for each order and bring their own box.
The groceries fit into a medium-sized box, and each month's menu is different from the previous month. Food boxes include a mix of fresh and frozen items with an average retail value of about $50.
“Generally, one unit of food assists in feeding a family of four for about one week or a single senior citizen for almost a month,” said Angel Food Ministries 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 or qualifications buyers must meet.”
Angel Food Ministries, like most retail grocery stores, also participates in the U.S. Food Stamp program, accepting the EBT card. No personal checks are accepted, only cash or money orders.
“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 on Angel Food on the Internet.
The only major changes to the original food ministry is that there are three dates the food can be ordered for the next month.
Food for November could be ordered on the distribution date and on the following Tuesday morning and Wednesday evening.
For the November menu and ording times visit the Clarkson Baptist Church web site at http://www.clarksonbaptist.org/angelfood.html.
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.
All the workers from Clarkson Baptist Church are volunteer. They pack and distribute food and take orders.
“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.”
Anyone interested in the food program may contact the church at (270)-230-4567.
Reporter
tdunn@gcnewsgazette.com
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