PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — Leadership at a local food bank say they are going through a turbulent time in terms of funding.
Good Samaritan Food Pantry, part of King of Peace Metropolitan Community Church, has been helping feed the community since 1971. Donations and government funding have helped the pantry thrive.
But those at the pantry say USDA funding cuts are costing them financial support during a time of increasing need.
Working on the front lines of the food pantry is volunteer Kenny Johnson.
“They get a USDA bag, which is from the government, then they get the brown bag which is from the church,” he said.
Johnson has been volunteering at the pantry for two years. But watching him coordinate and help lead the assembly line, you’d think he’s been doing it his whole life.
“They’ll tell me, from outside, they’ll come in here and tell me how many people are in the car and that determines how big these bags get,” he said. “How much I add to it.”
All sorts of food is at the ready — from canned goods and non-perishables, to bread and pastries.
“We have some ramen noodles we have in here, we have cereal,” he said.
It takes a village to run the pantry, with three churches involved: King of Peace, Good Samaritan Church and Pass-A-Grille Church.
“It’s like a family,” Johnson said. “It becomes like a family and they appreciate us so much and we’re so thrilled that we can help them out in their time of need.”
Helping out has meant a little more recently. People who run the pantry say federal funding cuts have led to them receiving less support. The USDA has halted $500 million in deliveries for food banks nationwide.
“We have noticed on one particular shipment that there was little to no protein, which is a main staple for people that are trying to, at least, attempt to eat somewhat healthy,” said the Rev. Ray Simms, with King of Peace Metropolitan Community Church.
A large amount of what the pantry gets is from the USDA, Simms said.
“We’re continuing to see the numbers that we’re supporting here between 8 and 900 a month,” Simms said. “So by the end of this year, we will probably have served over 10,000 people.”
The pantry has a USDA bag, filled with food items provided by the department. And a separate bag filled with those items provided by the pantry, ensuring recipients are still receiving nutritional value.
“It’s not like it’s costing me financially out of my pocket, except for when I donate to this,” said Johnson. “It’s just time and you walk away from here — I think every person who works at this pantry, walks away from here and has such a great feeling that we’ve made a difference in people’s lives.”
It’s that feeling that has kept Johnson and others returning to help, which has shaped the pantry into what it is today.
“This certainly has gotten quite large from when the days it first started, which I was certainly not here when it first started,” Johnson said. “I understand it was tiny, and now this is a big production and we’re all more than happy to do it.”
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