But God Works 32,715 Pounds at a Time
Where do food pantries get their food? The answer…
“32,715 pounds of food arrived, thanks to our friends at One More Child!”
An Ohio community food pantry recently received a remarkable donation when a semi-truck carrying more than 30,000 pounds of shelf-stable food from Pennsylvania arrived at their pantry door.
One More Child is blessed to receive donations from our valued sponsors and donors across the United States, which we accept and, in turn, distribute to ministry partners in our national network. Our tangible support enables our partners to provide wrap-around services to struggling families in their communities.
One More Child Warehouse Distribution Coordinator Levi Stovall shared, “We strive to reach one more struggling family with tangible resources through our ministry partners. Our goal is to help develop the programs of One More Child in various states while meeting tangible needs in those communities in a very real way.”
When our warehouse distribution staff received a phone call saying truckload from Pennsylvania, we knew where to send it. They called Maize Road in Ohio.
When he heard the news, Pastor Shawn Hensley of Maize Road Baptist Church, one of our newest ministry partners, expressed his gratitude. The pastor said they had given away 30,000 pounds of food the previous year, making this donation an absolute blessing.
But as of that Wednesday evening when the coordination began, Maize Road had no dock, no box truck, no volunteers, and no pallet jack to receive the donation. When they were asked if they could accept a semi-full of heavy food pallets, the answer should have been NO!
But God.
“… I am not a fan of saying ‘no’ to these types of opportunities, and I believe it is important to trust God in these matters.” Pastor Shawn said, “Sure, we can take it.”
Maize Road spread the word to the community via social media, and the body of Christ came together quickly to help. Within 24 hours, a local retail thrift store graciously contributed its dock, the dock manager offered to expedite the process with a forklift, a pallet jack was on hand, and plenty of volunteers from the community showed up to assist the church. Within 36 hours of the initial phone call, the truck arrived and was unloaded.
Pastor Shawn reflected that they were grateful for every ablebody who showed up to serve – they needed every single one. The donation to the pantry was so large that Maize Road could share nearly half of it with Stowe Mission of Central Ohio for its hunger ministry.
“The body of Christ is most effective when all parts work together. This endeavor was a testament to that fact. Thank you to all those who helped, those who pray for our church and community ministry…” Pastor Shawn shared.
Make an Impact Where You Are
Whether you are in Florida, Pennsylvania, or Ohio, everyone can join in the mission of One More Child.
- Volunteers provide an array of services to help meet this mission, and there are numerous volunteer opportunities. Learn more.
- Engage in our programs wherever you are by organizing a Meal Packing or Anti-Trafficking 101 training. See all the opportunities.
- Finally, faithful giving makes an incredible impact on our ability to serve more foster children, hungry children, trafficked children, single moms, and struggling families. Your church can host a fundraising event, or you can join our All for One Circle.
There are hurting people in your community who value their local food pantry, and your time and gifts can create a lasting legacy of healing and hope. Let’s change lives together – starting now!