Local churches organize ‘food room’ for SNAP freeze
Fresh Anointing Pastor Stephanie Sooter’s son Owen holds bags for the new food room the pastor organized with local churches. Photo submitted by Stephanie Sooter
Amid the government shutdown, now approaching a month, federal food aid will be withheld starting on Nov. 1, as announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Sunday.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, helps 1 in 8 Americans buy groceries, and over 17% of Madison County, according to the Missouri Budget Project. Over 2,000 people may lose a source of food.
Until the federal government reaches a solution, there has been an outpouring of empathy from Madison County churches and residents who are offering to help anyone with their needs.
Last week, Stephanie Sooter, a pastor at Fresh Anointing UPC reached out on community Facebook pages asking to gather for SNAP suspensions. Nine people met at the Fresh Anointing Church on Saturday, either residents or church advocates to answer two questions: “What do we think the best thing to do to help is?” Sooter said. “Is it going to be doable for us?”
They developed two plans: to open a daily soup kitchen, and to open a food room.
The soup kitchen will be hosted at the United Methodist church at 216 South Main, Sooter said. On weekdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pastor Bryan Schaefer agreed to offer free meals for anybody who walks it. The soup kitchen will begin on Monday Nov. 3.
At Sooter’s own Fresh Anointing United Pentecostal Church on Delmar Street, she will receive donations from the community and other churches. On Sunday, the churches that volunteered told their congregation about donations. The donated food will end up at the Pentecostal Church for their Food Room, which Sooter said she has a spot for at the church.
Anyone can pick up from the food room from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays, Sooter said, but said she always has time for appointments throughout the week for anyone who contacts her. She is aiming to open the food room around the first week of November.
Among the churches donating will be Fresh Anointing, Cobalt Village Grace Community Church, Grace Church of the Heartland, Fredericktown Christian Church and Fredericktown United Methodist and Church of Many Blessings. Sooter said there will be others, and many individuals have already given to the food room.
She said an issue she’s seen with food giveaways is people often get stuff they don’t want or need. “We’re hoping to offer cans and staples and also ingredients for an entire meal,” Sooter said. She produced a list of ideas for donors and churches to view with essentials, fresh items and cooking ingredients.
In addition to churches, Sooter said the library will display a basket for food donations.
Owner of SourBroDough Steven Jaroszewski also offered to make bread for people in need, in a post that has engaged hundreds on Facebook.
“I grew up poor with a disabled mom on food stamps so I can totally understand,” Jaroszewski said. “If you’re a parent who runs out of food, I will bake you a loaf of bread and personally deliver it to you. I will not let any child go hungry as long as I have the means.”
Sooter compiled a list of other resources that already give out food in the area, as well, some of which have chipped in.
The Fredericktown Ozark Regional Library has a box set up by Assistant Director Kessie Osborne she received from Seabaugh’s Furniture to help with donations
FAITH FAMILY WORSHIP CENTER
600 SARGENT DR. FREDERICKTOWN
THURSDAY 8AM-12PM
MARQUAND FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
3RD FRIDAY OF THE MONTH
9AM-NOON
MADISON COUNTY FOOD PANTRY
715 STAR LN. FREDERICKTOWN
TUES & THURS NOON-2PM
HARVEST OF HOPE FOOD PANTRY
100 MORLEY ST. FREDERICKTOWN
MON-FRI CALL 573-300-3401
FOR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE
MATTHEW 7:12 MINISTRY
12 CAP AMERICA DR
FREDERICKTOWN 573-300-3401
COMPASSION CAFE MONTHLY MEAL
KELLY A BURLISON MIDDLE SCHOOL
3RD SAT. OF MONTH 11AM-12PM
Know anybody else giving back to the community during the shutdown? Matt Morey can be reached at mmorey@dailyjournalonline.com
