Saints’ donation timely

0

At a time when it was trying to help more people than usual the Greenfield Area Christian Center Food Pantry recently received a timely donation of food from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Greenfield.

The donated items came in form of $1,000 worth of canned pears, peaches, macaroni and tuna.

Lanny Bryant, president of the GACC Board of Directors, said that last month the food pantry helped 350 families in the Greenfield Exempted Village School District.

“That might be up a little bit because right around Christmastime we seem to have a few more people come in,” Bryant said.

He said that at Christmas, in addition to the food families normally receive once a month, they also get vouchers that they can exchange at local stores for milk, a turkey or other meat item of their choice, and more.

“We are so thankful for this generous donation of food items,” Bryant said of the Latter Day Saints’ donation. “There is a huge need within our community, especially this time of year, so this gift will be a huge help in stocking our pantry.”

The only requirement for people receiving assistance from the GACC Food Pantry is that they live within the Greenfield school district. Bryant said that area encompasses about 150 square miles. He said the GACC does not discriminate and does not ask the income level of those receiving food.

The GACC Food Pantry exists solely on donations, Bryant said, although it does get help from the Freestore Foodbank.

He said the GACC recently purchased a range and is preparing to start offering cooking classes.

“It just feels like sometimes you give out food to people, but it’s another thing if they don’t know what to do with it,” Bryant said.

Over the last few years the GACC has built a new $500,000 center that is home to the food pantry; New Directions, the Greenfield area’s youth ministry; and the Borrelson Chapel. The new center, located on Fifth Street next to the longtime GACC location, also includes a community room that can be rented for special events and meetings. The old building continues to house the clothing ministry.

“It’s a miracle in itself that that happened,” Bryant said of the new center, which was funded in part by several large donations. “Four years ago we had no idea we’d have anything like this.”

The food pantry and clothing store are open to those in need on Wednesday afternoons. Bryant said the food pantry splits the names of families in the Greenfield school district into four equal parts and each week one-fourth of those using the service receive food.

Due to the support of the Greenfield community, the GACC said, only about $3,900 remains to be raised to complete the final touches on the building. Anyone interested in making a tax deductible donation can send checks to the GACC, P.O. Box 428, Greenfield, Ohio 45123; or can contact Lanny Bryant at 937-981-4752. To specify donations to the building fund, designate checks for the “capital campaign.”

The Greenfield Area Christian Center was founded in 1985 and is a non-profit organization. Its ministries include clothing, food, tragic and transient, education and New Directions, which Bryant said is serving more kids than it ever has.

“Everything is growing and we’re just really blessed with what God has given us,” Bryant said.

Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522 or on Twitter @13gillilandj.

From left, Bruce Snavely, Brett Snavely and Greenfield Area Christian Center Board of Directors President Lanny Bryant are pictured with some of the items recently donated to the center by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Greenfield.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2015/12/web1_GACC-pic.jpgFrom left, Bruce Snavely, Brett Snavely and Greenfield Area Christian Center Board of Directors President Lanny Bryant are pictured with some of the items recently donated to the center by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Greenfield.
Pantry helped 350 Greenfield area families last month

By Jeff Gilliland

[email protected]

No posts to display