Hope for the Hungry Food Pantry: Faith with Its Sleeves Rolled Up

Hope for the Hungry Food Pantry officially began in 2019, but the story started long before that.

The church had tried more than once to launch a food program, and each time it simply never got off the ground. The desire was there. The need was there. But sometimes good work has to wait for the right moment. As a church, they had always believed deeply in the commission given in Matthew: to clothe the naked, visit the imprisoned, and feed the hungry. Those words weren’t abstract ideals. They were already being lived out.

Their Clothes Closet had been serving the community for more than fifty years. Prison ministries had been active for many years as well. Feeding the hungry, though, proved harder to establish. It required logistics, partnerships, and a steady supply of food. Eventually, with a great deal of prayer and persistence, the timing finally aligned. An affiliation with Second Harvest and the USDA became the turning point, providing the structure and support needed to build a strong, reliable pantry.

Today, Hope for the Hungry distributes food once a month and serves an average of 250 families each time. The pantry reaches households across Morgan and Roane Counties, as well as the 37840 zip code. What makes it even more remarkable is that the entire operation is run by volunteers. There are no paid staff members. On distribution days, usually 25 to 30 volunteers show up, ready to work.

When asked about moments that capture the heart of the ministry, it’s hard to choose just one. But one volunteer stands out. He was battling severe COPD and continued to serve faithfully until his passing. As his health declined, he could no longer move around the pantry. Instead, he sat in one place with his oxygen tank and handed out food to other volunteers as they passed by with carts. His determination became a quiet but powerful motivation for everyone else. If he could give what he had, even in that condition, then no one else had an excuse not to serve.

The pantry sees gratitude every single month, but some stories linger longer than others. There are times when volunteers learn that someone has absolutely no food at home. Recently, a woman called between distribution dates. She had lost her job due to layoffs, had two children, and had nothing left in her cupboards. The pantry was able to provide her with a full cart of food, and that day they even had ice cream. The joy that brought to her family was unforgettable.

Another woman, newly widowed, shared that she relies on the pantry’s food and looks forward to seeing everyone each month. She told the volunteers she loved them. For her, the pantry had become more than a place to receive groceries. It was a place of connection.

Then there was a day no one will ever forget. During a particularly busy distribution, one of the volunteers, a nurse, noticed that a passenger in a car didn’t look well. When she went to check, the woman was unresponsive and had no pulse. Volunteers immediately laid her on the ground and called for help. Another nurse volunteer began CPR. Narcan was administered, and the woman was revived. EMTs later said she would have died if not for the quick actions of the team. That experience changed the pantry in lasting ways. Since then, they have obtained more Narcan, completed additional training, purchased an AED, and trained volunteers to use it. They want to be ready, should they ever face something like that again.

Like many ministries, Hope for the Hungry has faced challenges. This year, reductions in USDA food meant shelves weren’t as full as before, forcing the pantry to purchase more food out of a very small budget. Yet time and again, resources seemed to stretch in unexpected ways, reminding volunteers of the story of loaves and fishes. Another major obstacle came when their refrigerated truck broke down. That, too, was met with an answer: a grant, four years in the making, was finalized just in time, allowing them to purchase a newer, larger truck that runs reliably.

Faith and community are tightly woven together in this ministry. Volunteers come from many different churches, and some have no church affiliation at all. Jail inmates, supervised, also come to help, offering a powerful example to young people who may be struggling to stay on the right path. Community members regularly donate food and money. Clients often say, “This is what the church is supposed to be doing.” Many share their personal struggles and ask for prayer. Their names and needs are written down, prayed over, and remembered.

When times get tough, motivation doesn’t fade. It grows stronger. One winter distribution stands as proof. It was February, temperatures were in the 20s, and snow was falling. Clients stayed in their cars, but volunteers worked outside for four hours. It was so cold the ink wouldn’t flow from pens. Sign-ins had to be done indoors, or volunteers would stand in the parking lot shouting names so they could be written down inside. No one complained. No one quit.

For the volunteers, what keeps them going is simple. God provides. They do their part to get the food to the people who need it.

When asked how Hearts of Appalachia and its readers can best support the mission, the answer is clear: tell the stories. In a world that can feel heavy, it’s easy to forget how much good still exists. Feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the imprisoned, and caring for the sick takes all of us. Find a pantry. Donate food. Give money if you can. Give time if you’re able.

It’s not just helpful. It’s life changing.

Their Facebook page is: Hope for the Hungry Food Pantry

Church Website: Coalfield, TN SDA Church Contact#: 865-435-6576

IF YOU NEED FOOD PLEASE CHECK YOUR STATES RESOURCE LIST BELOW. WE HAVE THEM LISTED BY COUNTY.

IF YOU OFFER FOOD THRU PANTRY OR CHURCH, PLEASE VISIT OUR LIST TO MAKE SURE YOUR ORGANIZATION IS LISTED. PLEASE CONTCT US IF IT IS NOT SO WE CAN ADD IT FOR YOU. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE TO FAMILIES IN OUR APPALACHIAN COMMUNITES.

GOD BLESS1

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