Hawkins United Methodist Church mini food pantry provides blessing to neighborhood – The Vicksburg Post
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Hawkins United Methodist Church has created a new blessing for the surrounding neighborhood.
The Blessing Box, a two-door closet containing groceries and personal items, was installed about two weeks ago to help people in the community who might need a meal.
“We are very excited to offer this to the church,” said Hawkins UMC Pastor Rev. Austin Hoyle. “We have had some really good donations for our church’s pantry over the past few years, and that way we can expand it for anyone who would need that kind of help.”
The Blessing Box was the brainchild of church member Lucy Young.
“It’s an idea that has been around for a while,” she said. “Here in the Vicksburg Ward, this is another way we can accomplish missions by caring for those who need something when our pantry isn’t open or available.
“We have a pantry in the church, but it is only available if someone comes by the church during church office hours, which restricts access.”
Young said the box was filled with long-life items like canned food, packaged items like macaroni and cheese.
“Everything that does not need to be cooled or special care items is put there. We’ll keep it in stock and just see how it works, but we want it to be available to anyone who needs it. “
The box will be delivered from the church pantry and by individual church members, Young said.
“We have just started,” she said, “and we think our preschool will help provide some things. We plan to keep it in full stock. “
Young pointed out that the Blessing Box wasn’t the first mini-pantry in town. Crawford Street United Methodist, Mount Calvary MB Church, and the Good Shepherd Community Center also have small cupboards filled with groceries.
“We saw these other ideas and thought it (the church) would be an ideal place for us to have a blessing box,” she said. “When we realized that there was nothing on our side of town where Hawkins is, and that we were on such a busy thoroughfare, we thought it would be ideal.”
Young, who volunteers at the Storehouse Community Food Pantry, said Good Shepherd’s director Cindy McCarley gave her a cabinet and Paul Barnes, another volunteer food pantry, helped her cut the cabinet down to accommodate the box.
“I took it home and repainted it and we put it in the church,” she said.
The Blessing Box is based on a Bible verse from Luke 6:30: “Give and it will be given to you”. A sign above the box tells people, “When you have a blessing, leave it. If you need a blessing, take it. “
Since it has only been in the market for a short time, church members watch to assess the response to the box.
“It’s only been there two weeks,” said Young. “It’s new to the area and we hope people will use it as needed.”
Some people have.
Young said three different people came by to get items from the box. She said church members and church office staff check the box regularly to see what is missing.
“It is just another missionary work of our church.”
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