Food pantry operates as drive-through
Like other churches all over the country, Village Bible Church suspended almost all of its activities and advised members to worship via their Facebook page when the coronavirus threatened. But one group of volunteers is still meeting at the church to help neighbors that are worried about more than just the virus. The Oasis Food Pantry is still operating out of the church on Wednesday mornings.
The volume hasn’t changed very much, acting director Tony White said. It serves about 65 households each month. Some families come every week, but some only come now and then.
To keep both the volunteers and the clients safe, the pantry has changed the way it operates. While clients used to be invited to come in and sit down to talk and maybe pray with a volunteer, now they ask clients to remain in their vehicles. The food pantry has become a drive-through.
Everyone gets the same bag of food, White said. Large families get an extra bag.
People used to pick out some of their own produce, but that’s no longer the case. Not everyone gets the same things and if a client says he or she won’t use a certain vegetable, they are asked to pass it on to someone else in need.
The pantry also cut back on the paperwork, White said. As the cars line up on Wednesday mornings, they are met by a volunteer with a clipboard and asked a few questions. Some facts are needed for records, he explained, so that’s the only information it collects.
The drive-through is so efficient that fewer volunteers are needed, which is better for everyone, White said. He has people willing to work, but the less people in the building, the less contact between them.
Although some donations are down, White said the pantry gets some funds directly from the church and uses them to purchase food at the NWA Food Bank and some local sources.
“We had a good start to the year,” he said.
Not far away, the Bella Vista Lutheran Church, also located on Forest Hills Blvd. is home to the Shepherd’s Pantry.
“Most of our volunteers are in their ’70s or ’80s,” director John Peshek said. So when word came down from the synod to suspend all activities at the church, the pantry stopped its food distribution. The church webpage advises that anyone with an emergency can call the church office and someone will be able to help them, but so far the church hasn’t had an emergency call, Peshek said.
Since the Food Pantry has been closed for several weeks, Peshek said he is considering a plan to open a drive-through service similar to Oasis.