In the four Gospels, Jesus fed the needy. Local religious organizations like the First Presbyterian Church of Logan are following suit thanks to special programs and food pantries.
Rev. F. Lee McDermott told The Logan Banner that the First Presbyterian Church in Logan has been operating a Food Pantry for residents of the Logan area for over 14 years.
The Food Pantry began in February, 1993 serving 20 families. The congregation recognized an urgent need to furnish supplemental food items to area families and their children and senior citizens, today the pantry serves between 100 to 140 families.
Food Pantry distribution for the remainder of 2007 will be December 14. Individuals seeking food assistance in the Logan area during December who are not already registered with the church should do so at the next Food Pantry because of the increased demand for food during the holidays.
"We cannot assure families an ample supply of food will be available, unless they are already a participating family or individual," McDermott explained.
Families needing food assistance should come to the First Presbyterian Church at 622 Stratton Street during regular Food Pantry times and register as a participating family or individual. They need to bring proof of income, expenses and personal identification.
The Food Pantry at the First Presbyterian Church operates monthly always on a Friday from 9-11 a.m. at 622 Stratton Street in Logan. Distribution is held on the Friday following the second Tuesday of each month, which relates to the times of our food deliveries. Most of the food distributed is supplied by an arrangement with the Huntington Area Food Bank, which also provides USDA commodities.
Huntington Area Food Bank (HAFB) provides food to food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, senior citizen programs, veterans programs and residential programs that directly serve the needs of hungry people. The food is all donated at no cost, but the participating agencies, organizations and churches pay 0-18 cents per pound to help pay shipping and storage costs.
Last year, HAFB distributed about 3.3 million pounds of food. Other food items not available from the Huntington Food Bank are purchased through donations from First Presbyterian Church members and friends, this is done particularly around the time of Thanksgiving and Christmas when demand for food increases and up to 150 families have been served.
Distribution dates for 2008 will be January 11, February 15, March 14, April 11, May 16, June 13, July 11, August 15, September 12, October 17, November 14, and December 12. The First Presbyterian Church in Logan’s Monthly Food Pantry provides food and USDA Commodities to individuals in the Logan area.
For more information about the Food Pantry, individuals may call the church at 752-6232 or visit our web site at www.loganwv.presbychurch.org.
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