Donations strengthen Springfield food pantry

Tom Good of Abundant Life Church, left, volunteer J. Walls and Alonzo McCoy, director of the House of Prayer food pantry, unload food donations on Tuesday, June 4 at the pantry, located at 1403 S. Yellow Springs St. Photo by Brett Turner

Tom Good of Abundant Life Church, left, volunteer J. Walls and Alonzo McCoy, director of the House of Prayer food pantry, unload food donations on Tuesday, June 4 at the pantry, located at 1403 S. Yellow Springs St. Photo by Brett Turner

It was like a divine plan came together for the House of Prayer Outreach Ministries. No sooner had its food pantry delivery truck broke down, requiring $1,400 in repairs, that a donation of $2,000 arrived like pennies from heaven or at least another group associated with the skies.

The Fraternal Order of Eagles #397 recently presented a check to the House of Prayer, located at 1403 S. Yellow Springs St., which got its truck repaired and used the rest for its food pantry, which has seen increased usage since opening in the spring of 2017.

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“God was at work,” said Alonzo McCoy, director of the pantry.

The pantry operates 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays and is open to those in need.

FOE #397 has already worked with House of Prayer, donating school supplies to kids the past two years and was a strong candidate for the financial donation according to Rick Edward, FOE charity chairman.

“We saw people go in and out of there several times and thought it was a good organization to work with,” he said. “We’ve done Shoes for the Shoeless and want to get beyond just shoes and spread financial donations around.”

When the pantry opened it served 10-15 people a week and now averages 25-50, reaching as many as 65. Organizers didn’t expect the numbers to rise, but McCoy said that’s why it opened.

The pantry’s budget is $400-500 a week to purchase food essentials. Much of the money comes through bake sales, barbecues, donations from parishioners and other outside sources such as the Eagles.

Others help with donations of goods and support such as Walmart on Tuttle Rd., a partner since the pantry’s opening, Sheriff Deb Burchett and other ministries including Good Samaritan Outreach Center and Abundant Life Church.

Tom and Missy Good of Abundant Life dropped off $200 worth of canned goods and cereal on a recent Tuesday that will make a difference for weeks to come.

“This church is awesome, we’re happy to team up with them,” said Tom Good. “Our church is small but it’s an example of God’s people working together.”

The Goods live nearby and saw the sign for the pantry, which they took as a sign from above.

“These people are doing all the hard work,” Missy Good said of the volunteers, who include children as young as 7 during summer vacation, all to help the cause.

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Pantry volunteer Edith Davis can’t forget one particular person the pantry aided.

“One lady saw our pantry advertised on the marquee and was down to her last dollar. She was so thankful her children could get fed,” Davis said.

The pantry also serves hot meals on Tuesdays such as hamburgers, watermelon and iced tea.

McCoy said with the demand, the pantry would like to seek out a larger location. The current pantry is in House of Prayer’s cellar, which can get crowded, but the emphasis is on caring.

“The word is getting out. We want to help all of Clark County’s people in need,” he said.

For more information on the House of Prayer pantry, call 937-591-0025.

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