What Is Needed to Receive Food?
Anyone living in Pontotoc County with a picture ID can receive food. You will need to bring the ID and current utility bill with your address on it for verification.
How Often Can I Receive Food?
Our partnership with the Regional Food Bank and agreement with the U.S.D.A. stipulates households/families are eligible for food once a month. We do distribute food twice during the month, but households and families may only receive once during the month.
Walmart Food
We collect food from Walmart every Monday morning and the second and fourth Thursdays of the month (except holidays). That food is typically some produce, breads and bakery items, a few boxed or canned items, and some meats. We give that food away on Mondays and second and fourth Thursdays at 9:00 until 10:00.
Can I Help?
Yes, YOU CAN! We typically need 30 to 35 people when our big shipment arrives twice a month. There is always plenty of opportunity for individuals and groups to help. Please contact 332-5266 and ask how you can serve the Lord through the Food Bank.
Some History
Ada Area Canned Food Drive
The U.S. Postal Service in Ada conducted the Letter Carriers Food Drive to help address the issue of hunger in our community. The proceeds of those donations went to various local organizations, including Asbury.
While I do not know the full amount of items donated during the food drive, Asbury did receive over 60 boxes of food. These cans, along with other food items that Asbury purchases from the Regional Food Bank, will enable us to provide nearly 3 months of local aid. We currently get requests for food by over 500 families a month..
Please let your Letter Carrier know what a difference their efforts make.
2016 Foundation Grant
The Valley View Health and Wellness Foundation awarded the Asbury UMC Food Pantry a $5000 grant that will help us update our freezers and replace aging equipment. We received the grant through an application submitted with the help of Steve Gardner, Sharon Weirick, Whitney Clifton, and others that help with the pantry.
The VVHWF visited our operation in March and saw firsthand the number of people we assist on a bi-monthly bases. We impressed them with our efficiency and inclusion of the SOAR men when we sort and distribute the food. If you know anyone on the Foundation, be sure to express gratitude for their trust in our ministry.
2019 Regional Food Bank Grant - God's Blessings
Prior to the Covid pandemic, the Regional Food Bank in Oklahoma City awarded Asbury a $10,000 grant for additional improvements and upgrades. Because of the grant, we could purchase a walk-in freezer that significantly added to the amount of frozen food we could store. God knew what we could do and He knew how people would respond in assisting Asbury with a food program that impacts our community. Not long after our upgrade, Walmart started assisting us through the Feeding America program. The additional items we get from Walmart means that every family gets more meat for their family dinning table.
2020 Everything Changed
Once the Covid pandemic hit, everything changed in our world. Schools shut down, business shut down, churches shut down. BUT, Asbury did not shut down. We remained open to help assist people with food because we were considered an essential activity. We did have to change our manner and method of serving our clients. With a few significant changes to how we sorted and boxed the food and ensuring safety protocols, we realized that getting the food to the clients meant we needed to carry the food to their vehicles. This started long lines that wrapped around the building and the block and over into the Senior Citizens Center; however, the change allowed us to become more efficient. We went from serving 200 families a month to serving nearly 500 families a month.
We still utilize that car line pick up method today. Thanks to the tremendous help from the Southern Oklahoma Addiction Recovery program and some amazing volunteers from 10 different churches and local civic clubs, we streamlined our process and keep the food going out the door in record time.
