We were up this morning at 4:00 a.m. in order to arrive at our church in time to unload the truck from Angel Food Ministries for this month’s distribution. Our guys unloaded approximately 12-1/4 tons of bulk food on pallets, counted it out to make sure it was counted properly when it went on the truck, then reloaded a little over half of the food to send on to the next drop point. Once the truck left, we separated the food for the other five host sites that pick up at our drop then sorted the food we had left to distribute from our church.

Angel Food distribution day is a lot of hard work but we also have fun visiting and getting to know each other better as we work. It is also very satisfying to interact with the people from the other churches and with our customers. Many have become friends as they return each month.

Angel Food Ministries is a nationwide non-profit, non-denominational organization dedicated to providing grocery relief to communities throughout the United States. The food is all the same high quality you would purchase at a grocery store. There are no second-hand items, no damaged or out-dated goods, no dented cans without labels, no day-old breads and no produce that is almost too ripe.

Each month’s menu is different than the previous month and consists of both fresh and frozen items with an average retail value of between $45 and $75. This menu can be purchased for $30. Additional specialty boxes can be bought for approximately $20. An average of three specials per month will vary  but usually  are a variety of meat boxes containing steaks, pork chops, ribs, sausages, chicken tenders, boneless skinless chicken breasts, ready-to- heat meals, etc. Orders are placed once a month and picked up on a set distribution date.

The program aims at filling in the gaps for those people who may bring in too much money to qualify for government assistance but who aren’t making enough to support themselves and their families. The program is ideal for single parents, the working poor and senior citizens on a fixed income. Although these groups definitely benefit, the program is open to everyone – there are no applications or eligibility requirements.

If you are interested in learning more about Angel Food Ministries, you can explore their website at http://www.angelfoodministries.com/. You can look under Host Sites to see if there is a location near you.