photo by Marcus Frazier

Trinity senior April Roberts unloads boxed goods as, Deepy Singh and Emily Geter package chicken tenders to be added to boxes of food Thursday afternoon as they volunteer at the Food Pantry.

Food pantry has new director, direction

By Joan Gandy (Contact) | The Natchez Democrat

Published Friday, April 27, 2007

NATCHEZ — The Natchez Food Pantry, corner of North Shields Lane and Wood Avenue, is serving more than 150 families each week and continues to seek donations of food, money and time.

A new director and a new direction are making a difference for families who need help, associates of the food pantry said.

United Way of the Greater Miss-Lou “has stepped up to the plate,” said the Rev. Bo Swilley, associate pastor at Community Chapel Church of God.

The Natchez Ministerial Alliance organized the pantry but recently relinquished oversight of it to United Way.

United Way Director Kathy Stephens then asked the UW board of directors to allocate $15,000 to fund operations at the food pantry, Swilley said.

“The board went above and beyond and funded it with $25,000,” he said.

“But the food pantry is still very much a community partnership,” he said. “It takes United Way but it also takes churches and other volunteers.”

Ginny Avara took over as director of the food pantry six weeks ago. She sees clearly the need for the service to the community.

“We are desperate for food at the food pantry,” she said. “We’re serving 150 families each week.”

Churches and other groups may donate money or food to the pantry. Many already donate regularly, she said.

Families collect food once a month, and that generally is not enough, Avara said.

“People need to know that the box of food really doesn’t last a month.

“It’s just to try to get them through hard times,” she said.

“It’s hard to look people in the eye and say I’m sorry, but you can have only this.”

People who want to donate food should bring regular-sized cans of vegetables and fruits and packaged dry foods such as pastas, beans and rice.

Changes in the status of the food pantry caused an interruption in the relationship with the Food Network, a major source of food distributions, said the Rev. Robert Perkins, pastor of First Evangelical Methodist Church and a major organizer of the pantry, which opened in December.

“We’ve had to re-apply, and we’ve done that,” he said.

He expects the relationship with the statewide network to be fully restored.

Swilley said that in the meantime the food pantry board is purchasing food for the next two months and depending on donations.

“It’s important for churches to continue to support this effort,” Swilley said. “We need food, money and volunteer time.”

More information is available by calling Avara at the food pantry, 601-446-7303.