TEMPLE, Texas —
“May God bless you” is the last thing visitors at the Temple Christian Outreach food pantry will hear as their vehicles are stuffed with a shopping cart full of free food with no strings attached, for anyone in need.
Executive Director Caitlin West says the pantry regularly helps around 250 to 400 cars.
The food pantry is held every other Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on 106 West Avenue D in Temple. Each vehicle receives one full shopping cart of various grocery items like meats, vegetables, pastries and beverages.
Before the pantry opens, volunteers huddle together for prayer before doing their small part in helping the community in a big way.
“To be able to come out and spend an hour or two to help...I mean it’s just an hour. We’re on Facebook for five,” Volunteer Florence Flores jokes.
Flores runs a ministry out of Killeen called Mama Flo’s cafe. Every Sunday she holds fellowship then serves a hot meal. She also provides snacks and personal hygiene products.
“Our ministry is ‘food brings us together,’ Flores said. “It’s all about love and about relationship.”
Flores volunteers with Temple Christian Outreach whenever she can and with the help of the groceries provided, she is able to make dinners for her ministry.
For the individuals that do not have a vehicle or reliable transportation to the pantry, there is a walk-up table. David McPherson was tasked with looking over the table along with tallying how many cars come by. McPherson has been volunteering for two years and calls every moment a blessing.
“I’ve always wanted to do God’s work and I’m trying to do it now,” McPherson said. “The community needs more things like this. We need to help each other out. That’s what God intended when he put us all here.”
The pantry is not the only way that the Temple Christian Outreach aids the community. Located on the same grounds as the pantry is a thrift store open Monday through Friday from 10am-4pm.
“All the clothes and whatever is donated - that money comes back [to the pantry] to buy all this food,” Volunteer Lorina Garcia said.
Garcia used to be a schoolteacher and yearned to continue serving her community in whatever way possible. She tells 6 News that volunteering with the outreach makes her heart 'full'.
“Volunteering is one of the best jobs you could ever have,” Garcia said.
The storefront provides several services for the community. Temple Christian Outreach has partnered with Temple ISD to gift students vouchers to receive five shirts and five pants for free from the thrift store.
The outreach also partnered with CPS, the police department, and the fire department to provide vouchers for displaced individuals and families to receive clothing and other necessities free of charge. West says everyone from all walks of life is welcome to receive help.
“We want to help anyone lost and broken,” West said. “There is no judgement here.”
Watch an extended version of this story below:
The community has responded, coming in droves. The demand is so high that people like Sissy Yeager arrive as early as 5 a.m., waiting over four hours until the pantry opens. Yeager was first in line and feels the wait is worth it.
“I have seven people living under one roof,” Yeager said. “This helps us so much. I don’t mind waiting at all.”
The car behind Yeager sat an elderly couple who was also playing the four-hour waiting game. They are both living off social security and have recently had to relocate, so they say removing the stress of thinking about what they could have for dinner is a blessing.
If you are interested in volunteering you are encouraged to just show up promptly at 8:45 a.m., where you will be greeted by other volunteers and given a rundown of what you can expect, including what role or job you will have.
There are a few rules to know as a volunteer: closed-toed shoes are required and as a precautionary measure, anyone needing assistance to walk, or stand will be asked to help elsewhere in the thrift store rather than the pantry itself as the environment is very fast-paced. Lastly, as a thank you, volunteers can receive groceries from the pantry and clothing from the thrift store.
For more information on all that Temple Christian Outreach has to offer, including where and how to donate, along with information on the thrift store and food pantry visit their Facebook page.
Read more:
Watch more: