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Food Pantry
We want people to leave our church with food, a smile, and a prayer.
Hours of Operation:
The food pantry of First Baptist Church is open on Monday and Wednesday mornings from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon.
Criteria:
The food pantry is open to all Richmond City residents. County residents will be served on their first visit and then advised of other food pantries in their area. People may visit the food pantry once every two weeks up to twelve times a year. Picture I.D.’s must be presented at each visit.
What Kind of Food Do You Give Out?
We distribute beans, soup, canned vegetables like corn and carrots, canned fruit, canned and fresh meat, crackers, snack food, cereal, bread, pasta, coffee, tea, pancake mix, peanut butter, and juice. Of course, all of this is subject to availability. We sometimes get other types of food that we are able to distribute as well.
What Kind of People Visit the Food Pantry?
All kinds of people come to our food pantry, many who are suffering from insufficient income due to homelessness, lack of employment, sickness, accidents, or any number of usually temporary situations. Some have long term needs and they are usually encouraged to seek more permanent help through the Department of Social Services or similar programs. Most visitors to our pantry are good people who are experiencing a difficult period in their life and we are privileged to assist them.
What Does a Person Receive When He or She Visits the Food Pantry?
The person or family will receive approximately a three day supply of food as nutritionally balanced as possible. In addition to the basic items mentioned earlier, visitors may receive some household supplies such as laundry detergent, basic toiletries, kitchen utensils and supplies, linens, toilet paper, paper towels, and whatever other items we have on hand. Our storage space is very limited so larger household items cannot be distributed. In addition, visitors receive information on other services, referrals to other agencies, and education on various topics.
Where Does the Food and Other Items Come From?
We have three consistent sources of food: donations of food and money from church members, and food we purchase from the Central Virginia Food Bank and Ukrop’s. We rely heavily on donations since the food we purchase must be bought within a set budget. Many of our household and toiletry items are donated, however, items like laundry detergent and some of the toiletries must be purchased with donations since they are not figured into the overall budget. Please see our list of needed donations
Volume:
We serve approximately 350-450 people every month.
What Type of Volunteer Help Do You Need?
We are always in need of regular and substitute workers in our food pantry. We need people to do intake interviews with those who visit and receptionists to greet our visitors as well as keep records. Training is provided for these positions so no prior experience is necessary. We also need people to bring donations of food, linens, trial and regular size toiletries, laundry detergent, pots and pans, silverware, etc… Finally, we need people to pray for the ministry, its volunteers, and its visitors.
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