Heaven’s Kitchen goes mobile: Meeting those in need where they are
Heaven’s Kitchen held it’s first (of many to come) mobile food pantry offering grocery items to our friends and neighbors in need. As this was our first such event, we thought we’d have some guests come by and pick up grocery items we had loaded on our cargo truck. We have been promoting this event
Below is an update from Jim Carey of Heaven's Kitchen, a Hampstead-based food outreach, which started during the pandemic and continues to serve the community as it expands its hunger outreach.
[Last Thursday, March 6] was an exciting and emotional day at Heaven’s Kitchen & St Anne’s Food Pantry.
Heaven’s Kitchen held it’s first (of many to come) mobile food pantry offering grocery items to our friends and neighbors in need. As this was our first such event, we thought we’d have some guests come by and pick up grocery items we had loaded on our cargo truck. We have been promoting this event via social media and through our community partners for a few weeks.
We distributed over 3,000 pounds of food at just three sites in the Greater Derry Area over the course of about three hours! Not only did the response to this program surprise us, what really struck me was both the need and appreciation for these kinds of opportunities illustrated through the faces and interactions of those we served.
We don’t share videos for obvious reasons, however, I feel compelled to try and share the stories of programs like this to help tell the story of those in need in our community.
Imagine opening the back door from inside the truck below at our first stop and seeing about 30 people lined up with shopping bags and the notice below in their hands they had created a shopping list from.
One by one, they came up to the truck, choose the items they needed and thanked us for such a wonderful service. Some of the younger guests helped older guests back to their car with their groceries not caring that they returned to the end of the line. I had to compose myself when that back door opened at the first stop. It’s overwhelming, heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time and most certainly when we finished at our final stop, was a validation of the need that exists with our (your) friends and neighbors.
Heaven’s Kitchen remains steadfast and more determined than ever to continue with our mobile feeding programs and St. Anne Food Pantry stands ready to greet families in need of food at our four weekly distribution times. We’re not going to leave anyone out or anyone behind in this effort.
If you know someone in need of food, please help them find their way to us. These mobile food pantries will be on the road the first Thursday of each month so keep an eye out for the next one.
And along this same route, the HK Mobile Food Truck was quietly serving over 225 hot meals to our guests! A new high in number of meals served per day.
Thank you for your donations and support. Please continue to do so as you can. Thank you to the AMAZING volunteers that make this ministry possible and thank you to those we serve. You bring us so much more than we offer you. We love you and will stand with you as long as you need.
Jim Carey is Director of St. Anne Chartable Outreach and Chef for Heaven’s Kitchen. St Anne Charitable Outreach includes St. Anne Food Psntry, Heaven’s Kitchen and Victory Community Garden. 603-339-3731 Jim@sapcharitableoutreach.com
