On Saturday morning, cars were already parked around the metal building next to the bus barn in Chandler. It was early—about 8 a.m. One man said he had been there since around 7:30 a.m., waiting.
Inside, a small group of volunteers from The First Christian Church in Chandler bustled around to get food products on shelves and organized. To the side of the room, a stock of shopping carts with boxes sat waiting for shoppers. Out in the loading bay, more volunteers had set up and were cooking hot dogs. A few people were already waiting for the hot meal.
It was a typical Saturday at God and Peoples Food Pantry.
The pantry is run by a board and eight local churches. Usually, each church takes one or two months out of the year to staff the Pantry. It’s open every Saturday from about 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., though sometimes they open earlier. Families can come to shop there once a month, and veterans are allowed twice a month.
It services people from Chandler, Sparks, Agra, Carney, and Wellston, according to Virgina Frazier, who’s been involved with the pantry alongside her husband, Charles, almost since it started. Charles served as president from 2004 or 2005 until recently. He handed it over to Keith Duncan last year.
The Pantry’s client base varies. Duncan said they average 35 to 40 families a week, which is about 80 to 100 people. The Pantry also offers senior meals to anyone in their 70s or older, regardless of income. He added that where they are today is in large part thanks to Charles and Virginia.
“We wouldn’t have what we have, and this town wouldn’t have what we have without Charles and Virginia,” he said. “They have been the stalwart to this whole thing. Built it to the place it is today.”
God and Peoples Food Pantry started more as a food closet at Church on the Rock by Pam and Ron Keeling in the early 80s, according to Duncan. They were then recognized by the Regional Food Bank in 1987 and other churches in the area started to get involved. Keith said he started working with it in 1990.
Back in those days, they only carried nonperishables since they didn’t have a cooler, he said. They would pack up boxes and hand them over to clients after going to the food bank to pick up the food themselves. Now, they get it delivered. In 2009, they purchased a cooler and were able to start offering produce and other perishable items.
In 2012, when a new church took over the Church on the Rock property, the pantry had to move. For about three months, it was set up at Friends Church before moving to the fairgrounds. However, Charles and Virginia said it wasn’t long after they moved there that the decision was made to try and find their own spot so they wouldn’t have to interfere with anyone.
And like everything with God and Peoples Food Pantry, the efforts were communitysupported.
“We raised around $200,000, and the new building cost us about $150,000,” Charles said. They moved in around 2017.
The Pantry has survived this long on donations from the community, whether from individuals or companies. Hiland Dairy and Walmart donate food every week. The churches volunteer their time for the upkeep, but with food costs rising, it’s getting a bit harder.
Unlike what many may think, the pantry has to purchase food from the Regional Food Bank to keep the shelves stocked.
“The bills that used to be somewhere between $500 and $1,000 for a month. Now that bill is between, as close to $2,000 a month,” Charles said. “And you issue food for, hopefully, to the families, hopefully, that you can make it for a month, but you’re really supposed to give an emergency food supply.”
Virginia said there is an income restriction for families allowed to use the food pantry; however, they don’t have to complete an application. They just tell them their income, and they can shop there. However, she is concerned about how much they’ll be able to offer in the future.
“From what money was raised originally (for the new building), we’ve been able to maintain that until after COVID. And now, we’re down to, we’re getting worried. How much longer will we have money to buy food to put on the shelves?” Virginia said.
Keith added that they also don’t have as many USDA products available, which they don’t have to pay for.
Regardless, God and Peoples Pantry will still push forward to help as many people as they can.
“We wouldn’t have what we have, and this town wouldn’t have what we have without Charles and Virginia.” - Keith Duncan