“Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, ‘Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.’ So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat.” [John 6:11-14]
Need Food?
The Incarnation Food Ministry is open on Sundays from 1:30pm to 3:30pm, at the Southeast entrance. The Pantry provides weekly distribution of shelf stable groceries, fresh bread, produce, eggs and toiletry items to any person in need, particularly those who are not eligible for government-funded food assistance. Guests are asked to go through a brief intake process on their first visit. Questions? Contact Jared Mach:
Background
What began in a closet has grown over the past decade to a 1200 square foot space at the end of the church’s education wing. The Food Ministry is staffed entirely by volunteers, and funded by a combination of direct parishioner donations, the parish’s Justice and Charity funding, and grants from Emergency Food Network and the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. We serve between 15-30 families each week.
Want to Help?
Donations
- Food: We welcome donations of non-perishable food and household goods in the baskets in the Narthex. A list of needed items can be found here.
- Bags: We are always in need of paper, plastic and reusable grocery bags that are in good condition!
- Monetary: If you’d like to give financially, this can be done by contacting the parish office, or donating online to the Justice and Charity fund, using Text2Give
- Equipment: If you would like to donate in the form of needed equipment/upgrades, please reach out to Jared Mach for our current needs:
Getting Involved
The Food Ministry needs many hands of all ages in order to give to our community. Get involved by reaching out to Jared Mach, and signing up for Flocknote communications on Food Ministry:
https://incarnationcville.flocknote.com/FoodMinistry
Regular tasks where help is needed:
Kroger Shopping (Monday ~ Wednesday)
Based on last Sunday’s distribution, a weekly shopping list is created for buying items from Kroger. The funding for our Kroger shopping comes from the Emergency Food Network (EFN). Click here for more info.
Sam’s Shopping (Monday ~ Wednesday)
Every other week, we buy bulk items from Sam’s that are later subdivided. This includes corn flour (Maseca), rice, and pinto beans. The funding for Sam’s items comes from our parish budget.
Midweek Bagging (Wednesday ~ Friday)
During the week, team members come into church to assemble our bag of “standard Items”, which are items we purchase from Kroger and Sam’s. In addition, midweek bagging involves breaking down those large bags of corn flour, rice, and beans into smaller quantities for distribution. Click here for more info.
BRAFB Pickup
Blue Ridge Area Food Bank (BRAFB) is the major regional food bank that serves smaller efforts like ours. As part of being in their network, we can purchase food directly from them. We will occasionally place orders from them for shelf stable and fresh foods. The funding for BRAFB items comes from our parish budget.
Trader Joe’s Pickup (Saturday)
On Saturday mornings, a team meets up at Trader Joe’s and pick up foods which are being written off by the grocery store. These items are brought to our food ministry for distribution to our guests. Items include fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, deli sandwiches, and … flowers! This is a standard practice between grocers and pantries in our region, overseen by BRAFB; referred to as “Partner Pickup”.
Chandler’s Bakery Pickup (Saturday)
Similar to Trader Joe’s, a partnership exists between Incarnation and Chandler’s Bakery. On Saturday afternoons, a volunteer arrives at Chandler’s Bakery to receive fresh bread and pastries, brings them to Incarnation, and subdivides the larger desserts into family or individual sizes. Click here for more info.
Setup (Sunday)
With all the food coming in from Trader Joe’s, Chandler’s, Sam’s, Kroger, AND donations from our parish and St. Thomas Aquinas parish, the task of Setup is critical to having a successful distribution to guests. Teammates sort the food from Trader Joe’s, cull items that have expired, and bag up portions of fruits and vegetables for easier distribution to guests. In addition, the Setup team sorts out donations and arranges the goods for distribution.
Distribution (Sunday)
On Sunday afternoons we see the fruit of our labors take place by serving our guests. For about 2 hours in the afternoon, we receive guests. A typical guest leaves with fruit, vegetables, meat, canned goods, eggs, bread, and dessert. We often have basic toiletry items too (laundry detergent, toiletries, paper products).
Now that you are excited about this ministry, come help us!!! Reach out to Jared Mach to get involved:
Get connected to Incarnation’s Food Ministry communications by signing up for Flocknote: https://incarnationcville.flocknote.com/FoodMinistry
Text2Give: