Missional Food Pantry Expands in Indianapolis

 A church on the west side of Indianapolis will soon enter a battle against food insecurity.

The congregation on Saturday will celebrate the opening of a food pantry.

Over the past six months, church leaders and volunteers have partnered with local organizations to gain the skills and resources needed to support families in need, providing them with hope and practical assistance.

The International Church-Jesus Christ is My Refuge is preparing for a ceremony to showcase its members’ dedication and hard work. This event will launch the food pantry and signal a new era of compassionate service on the west side of Indianapolis.

Merlin Gonzales is president and CEO of Faith, Hope, & Love Community, a nondenominational network of food partners in Indianapolis. “Training volunteers is important. They are as important or even more important than the food we give to people because as we care for people and understand their deeper needs, maybe with education, additional technical training, or addiction counseling, then we will be able to support them.”

Churches operate 71% of U.S. food pantries.

Last week, leaders and volunteers from three emerging missional food pantry teams in Indianapolis gathered for an administration and operations training session. Participants gained skills and plans to uplift those they serve.

“Beyond food, many people are spiritually, emotionally and, of course, physically hungry. So, we maximize the point of contact, and that’s why we train our volunteers, who are the frontline and the face of the food pantry, and change the tradition/culture of how we help the food-insecure population,” Gonzales said.

Volunteers are trained to engage businesses for support. Expanding the missional food pantry network represents advancement for the churches and the Indianapolis community.

“In the process of providing emergency food assistance, we should not stop there. We should be thinking about those individuals’ long-term help and sustainability.”

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