Charles Warner|Daily Times There are always long lines of needy families when The Potters Storehouse holds its food distributions and Pastor Don Moore says the lines are getting even longer as more and more families are forced by economic conditions to seek the church's assistance.

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JONESVILLE — The number of needy families needing its help continues to grow and so do the needs of The Potters Storehouse in addressing those needs.

Pastor Don Moore said Wednesday that the church distributed food, personal care and other items to 5,200 people in June, or approximately 2,000 families who sought and received assistance from the church. Most of the distbributions took place at the church, which is located at 618 Pacolet St., Jonesville, but Moore said the number of families receiving assistance from the church included 100 families who received food it provided but was distributed at the Carlisle Town Hall by the Town of Carlisle.

Moore said the church will hold its next distributions on from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Aug. 11 and 25 and that the number of people seeking the church’s help continues to grow. In addition to the growth in the total number of families seeking the church’s help, Moore said the church is seeing an increasing number of middle class families who have been forced by economic circumstances to seek its assistance.

“We’re still signing up so many new families and it seems like now we’re getting more middle class families,” Moore said. “Most of those who have previously sought our help have been poorer families, many of them working in minimum wage-type jobs who are having trouble making ends meet and needed the food and other items we distribute.

“The new applicants, however, are middle class families who haven’t previously needed our help,” he said. “They are showing up here now because they are now losing their jobs because of the economy. Even though we’ve seen some improvement in the economy on some fronts the downturn is continuing on other fronts and that’s causing the breadwinners of these families to lose their jobs. That’s why they’re seeking our assistance along with the poorer families we are already serving.”

Moore said the church has so far been able to meet the needs of the increasing numbers of families who need its help due to the generosity of private individuals, companies, clubs and other organizations that have supported it through donations. The cost of meeting those needs, however, is neverending and on a number of occasions has forced Moore to ask for additional help in covering that cost. He is once again asking for the public’s help, not only because of the growing numbers of families seeking the church’s assistance, but also to help the church acquire some needed equipment for its food ministry.

“In the past two weeks we’ve had tthree freezers give out,” Moore said. “We need all of our freezers because they all stay full. We’re asking that anyone with a deep freezer they no longer need to please contact us and we will be glad to pick it up.”

Keeping all the meats and other perishable foods it distributes refrigerated takes a great deal of electricity and the church’s monthly power bills are always high as a result. Moore said the church’s latest power bill totals $812 and help is needed to ensure that it is paid.

Another piece of equipment the church needs is a new truck and Moore said the church has an opportunity to acquire one if it can raise the necessary funds.

“We have a chance to get a new box truck to replace our old van which has been breaking down,” Moore said. “There’s a gentleman in Spartanburg who volunteers at the church who has a box truck. He was going to trade it in for $5,000 but he decided to let us have it for just $2,000. We have already raised $850 and need to raise the rest within the next couple of weeks.”

While it primarily distributes food, The Potters Storehouse also seeks to meet the other needs of the families seeking its assistance by providing them with personal care items and paper products. Another need the church is working to address is helping the families that lack air conditioning and/or fans cope with the summer heat. Moore said the church is asking the public to donate fans.

“We need some fans, new or used,” Moore said. “There are a lot of people in need, a lot of people without air conditioning or fans. They need fans and we’re hoping to get the public’s help in providing them with it.”

To make a donation to The Potters Storehouse call Pastor Don Moore at 864-680-3465.