Inman Community Food Pantry
The Inman Community Food Pantry, initially called The Food Bank, was started in 2003. The 7th and 8th grade “God Squad” Sunday School Class was studying tithing. In order to help them understand the concept of giving 10% back to God, the teachers said they would match the 10% the students earned and gave during the summer. The teachers were surprised and pleased when they needed to match $500.00. There were 13 students in the class who then decided to use the money to begin the Food Pantry. For a number of years the students and teachers would go shopping and fill the Pantry shelves. At that time the Pantry was mostly used by people attending Bethel Mennonite.
The Pantry has since become an outreach of the Inman Ministerial Alliance and is under the direction of Bethel Mennonite Church. Goods are replenished by food drives in the community and also from businesses in McPherson County. There have been very few times that the pantry was low on food. Cheese, butter and pizzas are purchased and requests are sent out for hamburger from the congregation. It is staffed by volunteers from the church.
Forty-one families or single homes were served in 2015 and the goal is to find ways to continue to better serve the community. God is blessing the Food Pantry and in return the organizers want to bless the community. There is current need for 4 people to work one Thursday afternoon per month from 2 pm -4 pm for the next three months. This need is urgent so that the Food Pantry can remain open. If you can volunteer, contact Shirley Kroeker at 620.474.1708. Thank you.
Posted on March 23, 2016 in Congregational Stories Ministry Weekly Word