Have you ever had to call a time out? Not in a sports game, but in life just to take a moment and stop and refocus. 

Our Operations Director Nelson Hardin did just that last week at the food pantry at Benton Heights Presbyterian Church in Monroe when he heard that one of the families receiving food had a foster child who is turning 8 years old this week. He stopped everything to gather people together — volunteers and neighbors — to sing Happy Birthday to “Bethany.” 

Bethany was so touched that she started to cry. 

“It was a huge moment for everyone there,” Nelson said. “It brought the energy up and refocused them on what they’re doing there. It’s not just about giving food — it’s about the relationships. I think truthfully the volunteers needed that more than Bethany did.”

The impromptu singing couldn’t have come at a better time. All our evening pantries have been seeing a drastic increase in the number of families seeking help with groceries the past few months. At Benton Heights, for example, volunteers are now serving an average of 80+ families each week, up from their typical 30-35 families.

As government assistance has decreased and the cost of groceries has risen more families need a boost. This is coming at a time though when food pantries nationwide (including us!) are having a hard time being able to buy nonperishables in bulk due to shortages and logistics issues. 

Want to help? We need folks to host food drives! This is a perfect group activity for churches, neighborhoods, sports teams, businesses etc! We’re running really low on most of our “staple” items especially cereal, canned beans, canned fruit, pasta & pasta sauce and canned vegetables. Get details and a full list of needed food drive items here.

Thank you for being a part of this small revolution of kindness.