A lot has changed since my original post about iServe, which can be found here.
Our backpack ministry is still going strong. We were able to do boxes for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring Breaks which allowed for more food than the backpacks. The backpacks will pick back up in a few weeks when school starts back.
In February of this year we began our Food Truck ministry. Through our local food bank, we are able to purchase a semi truck of food for $800. This food is then distributed to families in the community who need it. The semi truck holds 40,000 pounds of grocery store overstock. Each truck holds different items, but it is usually a variety of canned goods, produce, juice, snacks, bread, and meat. We have asked local churches, businesses, and individuals to sponsor a truck. We are hosting our Food Truck once a month at a local flea market. There are already sponsors for each truck for the year 2013 which is a huge blessing!
On the third Tuesday of every month, the food truck delivers to our local flea market. Right now we are using Jason's bobcat to help unload all the pallets off the truck. Then we use hand trucks to set up the pallets down an assembly line of tables. The assembly line starts with empty milk boxes that one of our volunteers picks up from Ingles. Heavier items like bottles of juice and canned goods are next along the assembly line. Then the lighter or more fragile items (i.e. produce, bagged snacks, etc.) are put on top of the heavier items. Volunteers are stationed all along our table assembly line to put the items into the boxes. At the end of the tables an information sheet about iServe and the truck sponsor are also put into the box before the boxes are loaded into a buggy. Bigger items that will not fit into our boxes are also at the end of our assembly line so they can just be put into the buggy before the buggy is taken by one of our volunteers to someone's car.
The top picture is the food truck and some volunteers helping with the hand trucks to move the pallets.
The bottom left picture is our assembly line. The pallets are set up on either side of a long line of tables with a volunteer for each item that needs to be placed in the box or buggy. We also have extra volunteers along the line to help push the boxes down and keep things moving.
The bottom right picture is a full buggy ready to be taken and loaded into someone's car.
This is a better picture of the assembly line.
The Georgia tent in the far right of the picture is where the line starts for those in need of food. We also have volunteers here taking information. Before we can give anyone food, we have to verify that they live in the county we are serving (using their ID) and they have to sign verifying their income per month is below a certain amount. This amount is based on the number of members in their family.
Things have grown considerably over the last months. At our first truck in February we served 116 families. This month we served 357 families!
All of this is possible because of the amazing God we serve!
He has provided incredible volunteers and sponsors.
We are blessed to work with them and blessed to be able to serve so many people in need.
We have also recently launched a website for iServe (iserveministries.com). The website is also linked under the ministry tab at the top of this blog.
On the website you can find information about both our backpack and food truck ministries plus ways to support us and get involved with what we are doing.
Here are some ways we would love for you to pray for us:
- We would ideally like to have a fork lift to unload the truck, but they are expensive. We are hoping for a donation or funding from grants.
- Next year we would like to do a second food truck each month. Our location now is at one end of the county. Ideally our second truck would be closer to the other end of the county. We need prayer about the logistics, sponsors for the additional trucks, and a location.
- Pray for those receiving the food! We pray that they would see Jesus through us and what we are doing.
1 John 3:18 (NLT)
"Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions."
The Georgia tent in the far right of the picture is where the line starts for those in need of food. We also have volunteers here taking information. Before we can give anyone food, we have to verify that they live in the county we are serving (using their ID) and they have to sign verifying their income per month is below a certain amount. This amount is based on the number of members in their family.
Things have grown considerably over the last months. At our first truck in February we served 116 families. This month we served 357 families!
All of this is possible because of the amazing God we serve!
He has provided incredible volunteers and sponsors.
We are blessed to work with them and blessed to be able to serve so many people in need.
We have also recently launched a website for iServe (iserveministries.com). The website is also linked under the ministry tab at the top of this blog.
On the website you can find information about both our backpack and food truck ministries plus ways to support us and get involved with what we are doing.
Here are some ways we would love for you to pray for us:
- We would ideally like to have a fork lift to unload the truck, but they are expensive. We are hoping for a donation or funding from grants.
- Next year we would like to do a second food truck each month. Our location now is at one end of the county. Ideally our second truck would be closer to the other end of the county. We need prayer about the logistics, sponsors for the additional trucks, and a location.
- Pray for those receiving the food! We pray that they would see Jesus through us and what we are doing.
1 John 3:18 (NLT)
"Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions."
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