Interview: Theresa Collins & Sue Hartley
We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. Romans 8:28 NLT.
In 2020, while in the midst of great turmoil and uncertainty, the St Louis Area Foodbank asked Grace Church to serve as an emergency distribution center to bundle and distribute food in our region. It was a natural idea since we were one of very few areas that weren’t afraid to interact with the public at that time. In the beginning, we distributed what the Food Bank gave us. Soon we decided to supplement it with protein rich foods, purchased at Aldi from church member donations. In 2021, we served 3,152 families. Now, we are on track to serve 6,360 families by the end of 2025.
Today the St Louis Area Food Bank has reduced its distribution centers to only Grace Church and a North County location. We continue to partner with them on the second Monday of each month. With their help we may serve up to 280 families at time. Yes, you read that right, 280 families! And the numbers keep climbing. Furthermore, on the fourth Monday of each month, donations from Grace Church members provide all the food and protein for 250 families, purchasing the supplies from Aldi. The cost is approximately $50 per family.
One of our Grace volunteers, Theresa Collins, reflects on who comes through the line, “you certainly cannot tell the need based on who shows up. People arrive in very nice cars and people come in older used cars. A lot of homeless don’t have transportation so a neighbor may pick up food for them. The elderly come, sometimes to supplement their monthly food needs because they have such a small, fixed income. We are here to accommodate their needs. Overall, we let the Lord decide who needs our help.”
This ministry provides much more than food baskets, however. We are connecting with and strengthening families, many of them return customers. Often, it’s the only time they’ve interacted with a church member, and it may take them some time to warm up to our volunteers and open up. We greet each family along the car lines before we begin the distribution.
Sue Hartley explains, “we are here to serve the needs of families, but we also ask them, in a low-key way, if we can pray for them. We take the leftover sermon notes from the weekend, service and hand them out if they are open to that. Sometimes they will come back the next week and tell us they used it as a Bible study.
“We are now at the point where we pray with over 80 families at each encounter. This number has grown steadily over the last few years. Because some people are repeat customers, they are starting to trust us. When God spoke to me and told me to get this going, I merely did my portion and let God orchestrate the rest.”
Grace Foodbank Ministry also delivers 150 fuel packs weekly to a local elementary school close to Grace Church. This also started during the Covid pandemic. It was our best way to reach families, since children were not attending school in-person. They would come every Friday to receive their Fuel Packs, and we were prepared with a team ready to pivot and serve in this way.
Another 50 fuel packs are sent to a Baptist Church downtown that feeds the homeless. Some may wonder, do individuals who receive these fuel packs know that it’s coming from Grace Church St. Louis? Well, the fuel pack ministry does have a logo that’s made into a sticker and attached to the bags that are delivered. But that’s not really the point. Jesus’ last words to Peter were “feed my sheep” and Paul’s words affirmed that God cares about having His Church meet the physical, as well as spiritual, needs of His children.
What can we do to help? Sue is asking for small monthly donations: $10 or $20 per month. Just click HERE to be directed to Grace’s Giving page. You can also volunteer by signing up on our website here.
When we each do our part, the load is light and easy, multiplying blessings to the neediest in our community.
