In 1967, a St. Vincent de Paul Society soup kitchen volunteer watched a single mother rummage for food in a dumpster behind a grocery store to feed her children. That year, St. Mary’s Basilica in Phoenix, AZ lent him $3000 to open a place for unwanted food to be distributed instead of thrown into dumpsters. The nation’s first Food Bank was born. 

Today there are over 61,000 food pantries and meal programs; about half are faith-based organizations. The need is still great. We serve a variety of people here at St. Mary - some are newly unemployed for the first time in their lives.

Some are trying to stretch social security or disability checks. Some are homeless and cook over open fires. Many are single mothers. They’re struggling with rent, food and often medicine. 

As of the end of October, this year we have served 4,443 people from the pantry, and 5,385 people from our twice-a-month drive-through. 

It can seem overwhelming and we might look around and echo the disciples - send these people away to get some food! The miracle of feeding the five thousand is the only of Jesus’ miracles recorded in all four Gospels. We are probably supposed to pay attention! A child shared his lunch and, somehow, there was abundance. Our God calls us to mighty deeds! YOU have answered that call, and miracles continue to happen. We are open more hours than any other food pantry in Madison County. 

It’s time to prepare our Thanksgiving baskets to give away. $50 enables us to get supplies for a family to have a nice meal. We try to meet the needs of people who are cooking in crock pots or don’t have much, if any, freezer space. Thank you for your help! 

Whatever you can do directly helps our neighbors here in Anderson. It makes a difference. YOU make a difference! Thank you, and God bless us all! 

Lawson 
Food Ministries Coordinator