MONROE, Mich. – A Monroe church has been struggling to keep food on its pantry shelves.
Oaks of Righteousness Christian Church said some days it’s gotten so low that they had only 20 boxes left to give.
“When we see people we can’t feed, it is devastating,” said Pastor Heather Boone.
Boone said families now more than ever depend on their pantry, including Ronald Murphy and his family.
“Food prices went up, especially for meat in Michigan,” said Murphy. “This (the pantry) is like a blessing.”
Due to the pandemic and now inflation, new families seek their services. Boone said they want to help them out, but then they’ll have days like Monday (Feb. 28) where their shelves are bare.
“This has been a thing where we’re seeing a lot more frequently, and it’s quite disturbing because if we’re struggling, I can only think of what’s happening to families,” Boone said. “You know, I can only think about how many children are going without, I can only think about how many people in the community, how many seniors are in need.”
The church made a Facebook post with pictures of how empty their shelves and containers were. The post got more than 540 shares, and donations started rolling in.
Murphy said it’s an incredible blessing to not just him but other families too.
“When you see it bare one day, then the next day you see that loaded up again, It’s like, you just you see God’s hand moving with people, touching people’s hearts to where people who have something know the less fortunate need it,” Murphy said.
The food bank and the pantry depend on meat items, which is also low. Boone encourages people to donate consistently, not just to them but to a pantry near you.
The Oak Village Food Pantry is open Monday through Saturday. Donations can be mailed to Oaks Village 924 E. 2nd Street, Monroe, MI 4816. You can also give online.