The need is great and the cupboard is bare. In this case, that cupboard is a cart in the Narthex.

Live Oak partnered with Hill Country Community Ministries (HCCM) a few years ago to become a location where our neighbors in need could receive fresh food. And we agreed to collect non-perishable food to help stock the HCCM pantry that makes such distributions possible.

The distribution part is certainly a success. When we began several years ago distributing food in our parking lot once a month, about 25 families were served. On a Friday, 110 families came in the August heat to receive food. And for the church members who helped, it was a good feeling being of assistance to our neighbors. 

But during the years in which the distribution has drawn so many more families, our donations to the pantry have been dwindling. HCCM maintains the pantry to provide food to families in crisis. So when someone comes to our door and asks for aid, we need a well-stocked pantry at HCCM ready to serve them.

Help fill up the cart in the Narthex with non-perishable food and household essentials. Here is a list of items that are needed.   

The next time we distribute food to our neighbors, let’s send the HCCM truck back to the food pantry with an overflowing cart.