By Heather Collins
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Carmel United Methodist Church Food Pantry. The pantry assists an average of 300 Hamilton County families each month.
The CUMC Food Pantry, 621 S. Range Line Road, is a food distribution ministry, providing assistance to any Hamilton County resident in need. More than 100 local volunteers help to feed more than 17,000 Hamilton County residents each year.
CUMC Minister of Local Outreach Mike Podgorski said his volunteer work with the pantry is a labor of love, and he believes the pantry helps feed the soul as well as the body.
According to CUMC Food Pantry coordinators, 9.8 percent of Hamilton County’s total population and 14.3 percent of children in the county have food insecurities.
“All of us like to think we’re safe and secure, but the truth is, we live in an insecure world,” Podgorski said.
He said the pantry often draws the working poor or individuals who are suffering from temporary financial hardship. Podgorski hopes families in need will not be too modest and utilize the food pantry when they’ve hit hard times.
Inside of renovated warehouse are several commercial-size refrigerators and freezers. People in need can stock up on food and household and personal hygiene items.
The food pantry launched in 1992 in a small closet inside the church. It now fills the adjacent Mission House building in the CUMC parking lot.
The community can drop off donations at any time by using the building’s delivery door next to the garage. The pantry is always in need of cereal, juice, paper products, personal hygiene products, peanut butter and crackers. The pantry is supported by monetary and food donations. It costs roughly $3,000 per month to keep the pantry stocked.
On a weekly basis the pantry receives 300 pounds of meat from Kroger. CUMC hosts the Gleaner’s mobile pantry every third Friday of each month.
For information, visit carmelumc.org/foodpantry.
