CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte's Hickory Grove Baptist Church is transforming into a food bank for their community as a staggering number of people are unemployed or needing extra help as a result of COVID-19.
With kids still out of school for the summer and people out of work due to the pandemic, more and more families are desperately needing emergency food assistance.
"I'm coming to get whatever they have to offer me. I'm a disabled vet, United States Marines," said Gary Marion as he waited in the food driveline.
Every Tuesday and Thursday, Hickory Grove Baptist, located on East W.T. Harris Boulevard, partners with Second Harvest Foodbank and other major grocery stores in Charlotte. Charlie Norwood, the pantry's manager, says the church is distributing food and other necessities as a way to stay connected to the community.
"We are passing out fresh meat, bread, cakes, sweets and fresh produce," Norwood said.
Organizers say since the beginning of the pandemic the church has served between 300 and 350 families a week.
“We want to help out the community both physically and spiritually,” said Casey Norkett, Hickory Grove’s missions pastor.
Volunteers are also going out in the community to pass out food to families living in Charlotte's food deserts.
“West Charlotte there’s a food desert, we’ve been on the corner of La Salle and Beatties Ford Road, and then we went to another location on Statesville,” Norwood said.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police is also making a difference at the church's food drive.Not only are some of the department's officers working in the pantry, others are passing out Crime Stoppers flyers with information on how to report suspicious activity in the area.
“Some people don’t have jobs so it's been really rewarding being able to give them food and help out any way we can. We’re part of their community, which is what we want them to know we are here as one of them,” said CMPD Community Coordinator Kenia Restrepo.
The Hickory Grove Baptist food drive is doing what it can to serve those who need it most. Pantry leaders also want to make sure more families continue to get what they need to put hot food on their tables. They're asking the community to help by donating dry goods and non-perishable items.
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“If someone wants to drop it off by the church, we have a drop-off location at our front door and we’d be glad to take it and pass it back out to the community,” Norwood said. “We here at Hickory Grove Baptist Church are going to make a difference in the community.
The pantry is open every Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m.