Asbury Food Pantry
The Asbury Food Pantry provides boxes of frozen and non-perishable food to those referred from social service agencies, and distributes food boxes on a quarterly basis to families in need.
"He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away." (Luke 1:53)
Mission
To provide hope and encouragement to the hungry people of Madison County, Alabama by communicating to hungry people that Christ loves them, and that they may receive food through Asbury UMC, and promoting the collection and distribution of food and Bibles through Asbury UMC
Recipients
It is Asbury's desire to operate its Food Pantry with support provided by Foodline of Madison County (256-534-2424) and in compliance with requirements imposed upon recipients of foodstuffs by the USDA and North Alabama Food Bank.
Food box recipients are referred to the Pantry from the Foodline organization. Anyone in need of a box of food should contact Foodline at (256) 534-2424. Referral from Foodline may receive a box of food for every ninety days. Each food box is intended to feed a family of four for up to four days.
How to Donate
Drop food items into the blue Food Pantry bins located in the Joy and Hope buildings at Asbury UMC.
Current and Future Asbury Food Pantry Efforts
Food Box Distribution
Distributing large boxes of food to low income individuals in the Madison City, Madison County and East Limestone County, Alabama areas. This is a daily effort and serves over 3,000 individuals each year. This includes deliveries to remote areas and to the homebound. Nonperishable foods and drinks, frozen meats, breads, over-the-counter medicines, toiletries, and occasionally fresh produce are given to those in need. Approximately half the food boxes are delivered and half are picked up by recipients at the church. Holiday Food Boxes and deliveries to Dublin Village and 305 8th Street Group Home are included in this effort.
Snack Bags for the Homeless
The Food Pantry provides the food for 300-350 bags of ready-to-eat food items that are distributed each year to homeless individuals living underneath bridges and overpasses.
Snacks for After-school Tutoring
The Food Pantry provides the snacks for the after-school tutoring program.
Helping Hands and KIDS Kitchen
Along with the Asbury Farm, the Food Pantry will provide foods that will be used to prepare a healthy and nutritious hot meal service to a few of the families from the Afterschool Tutoring program at West Madison Elementary. This involves 2 hot meals per week delivered to each family over a 10-week period throughout the summer months.
Weekend Foods for Elementary Children on Free or Reduced Lunch Programs
Provide nonperishable healthy and nutritious food and drink items to local elementary children who receive free or reduced lunches. Foods will be selected according to USDA nutritious food guidelines. Each eligible child receives a sealed bag of 10-12 food items each Friday throughout the school year to take home. We have tentatively committed to supplying ~80 food bags per week to West Madison Elementary School for the upcoming school year. Our Food Pantry hopes to continue this effort and expand to other schools in the future. This is a great project for a UMW or SS group to help us with (stuffing the bags with food!).
The Food Pantry Bread Ministry
This ministry continues under the leadership of Shelly Torick. Volunteers pick up bread every Tuesday night from Atlanta Bread Company and deliver it to Asbury on Wednesday mornings, where more volunteers arrive to bag the bread, stock our freezers, and deliver the extra bread to the Asbury Thrift Store and Dublin Village.
