It’s not a mission that helps people in distant countries.
It’s not a mission that sends only a few to a certain place on the map.
It’s a mission that serves — and feeds — those in need right here in Union County.
The Potters House food bank program began last October with a Truck Load of Food and hasn’t looked back since. Instead, Moore and his congregation and the volunteers who help with the food bank and its monthly food distribution events continue to look to the future and are committed to offering the help so many in Union County need.
“Since the food program began last October, The Potters House has been able to give away more than 150,000 — one hundred and 50 thousand — pounds of food,” Moore said.
That’s 75 tons of food the church and its volunteers have given to people in need of food assistance in Union County since the food bank’s inception last fall. They’ve served more than 1,000 families and more continue to register for the program.
“This would not have been possible without the support of several churches, local businesses and many individuals from Jonesville, Union and the surrounding areas,” Moore said. “We have also received donations from North Carolina and Florida, Greenville and Spartanburg. Some for $5 or $10, some for $100, a few for $500 and even some for $1,000 which was the largest donation.”
The outpouring of support for the food program and its mission has been impressive but Moore said most of the donations it received came during the holidays. The food bank has been operating on those funds since, but the need has increased and funding is beginning to wane.
The Potters House is at a crossroads right now with the food bank program — kind of a good news-bad news situation.
“The good news: The Potters House has just passed inspection and been accepted into Second Harvest,” Moore said.
Second Harvest is the food bank program the church has been able to secure food from for its program several times since it began — including the very first food distribution event in October — however the Jonesville congregation had not yet become a member.
“We will be able to secure food every week starting around the first week of June,” Moore said.
That good news — news that only means more and more who need the assistance will be able to come to the food bank more often to receive it — plays a direct role, however, in the bad news.
“Our funds are very nearly depleted and we need funds so we can take advantage of shopping opportunities at Second Harvest,” Moore said. “We have well over 1,000 families registered — representing more than 4,000 people — and we are signing up new families weekly. There is no let up in sight.”
The church plans to open the food bank on a weekly basis soon to help make receiving assistance easier on everyone, but to do so requires at least $500 a week to get the food from Second Harvest.
So Moore and the food bank are, again, asking for the community’s help.
The first-ever annual food bank fundraiser will be held at the church in Jonesville on Saturday, June 12, and everyone is encouraged to attend and participate to help raise funds to continue feeding those in need throughout Union County.
“Our first annual fundraiser will be an all day event,” Moore said.
The church has several events and activities planned for that day, including a yard sale. Anyone who wants to donate items for the sale or bring items to the church to sell and then make a donation to the food bank is encouraged to do so.
A car wash will begin at 9 a.m. and grilled hot dogs and french fries will be served from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. The playground and basketball courts also will be open all day. At 4 p.m., the church will begin serving spaghetti plates with salad and toast and grilled hamburger and hot dog plates until about 6 p.m.
Then the main attraction of the daylong fundraising event begins.
“At 6 p.m., the singing begins,” Moore said. “The Swansons will start things off and we want church choirs, gospel groups and individuals to come and sing for the people.”
The church is providing the sound system and anyone and everyone is welcome to come and sing or play gospel music. An offering will be taken during the music event to support the food bank and anyone who wants to participate needs to contact Moore as soon as possible to sign up.
All proceeds from the day’s events — including the sale of yard sale items, food and any other donations — will go to supporting the food bank program.
“The money received for food goes to the food account and none of the money goes toward the church,” Moore said.
He and the church are hoping for a good turnout at the June 12 fundraiser and they want Union County to know the food bank program will continue.
The next food distribution event is already slated for Saturday, May 29, beginning at 10 a.m. and Moore is hoping to have another truck load of food for that day.
“The food program will continue,” the pastor said.
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