Feeding thy neighbors: Mill Creek offering food assistance to families

A project that began in a garage has become an organized ministry for a Radcliff church.

Kelly cantrall

Mary Luce stocks the shelves at the food pantry Saturday at Mill Creek Baptist Church in Radcliff. Luce is the church secretary and volunteers with the food ministry.

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Kelly Cantrall

Barbara Banet, a volunteer with the food pantry, unwraps bars of soap Saturday to be handed out to families who come to the food pantry at Mill Creek Baptist Church.

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Kelly Cantrall

Mary Luce, in front, and Barbara Banet fill the shelves Saturday at the food pantry at Mill Creek Baptist Church in Radcliff. The pantry is open once a month.

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MillCreek Baptist Churchhas been running a food pantry once a month for about a year, after member Vi Burt had been assisting people with food from her home. The pantry has since moved into the church, and recipients can receive a bag of food up to three times a year, church secretary Mary Luce said.

Church members and others donate items such as canned goods, pasta and cereal to stock the pantry at the church at 1182 S. Jones St. Once a month, families can apply for assistance and if they meet the requirements based on those for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, they can receive a bag of food that will feed their family for about three days, Luce said.

Luce said she and other volunteers work to include everything needed to make the meals. Families also can request some special items, such as hygiene products.

The congregation also has at times offered counseling sessions on topics such as budgeting to help families with other issues, she said.

“We want to offer them help if they’re interested,” she said.

Luce began volunteering with the ministry because of her own experience with poverty. She has a large family and recalls a time when they were only eating two meals a day because they couldn’t afford more.

The pantry typically assists between five and eight families a month, she said.

“We didn’t have a specific goal really,” she said. “We just want to help people who need it.”

Those interested in donating or who need information on the program can contact the church at (270) 351-3524.

Kelly Cantrall can be reached at (270) 505-1747 or kcantrall@thenewsenterprise.com.