Bon Air Mountain Community Church feeds hungry and provides clothing

Nobody in White County deserves to go hungry. Thankfully, there are many groups that work hard to help those in need through charity and ministry.

Bon Air Mountain Community Church is one such group. Twice a week, church members work hard to help provide food to those who visit. And once a month, they host a big giveaway event that can help families cut costs on their grocery bills with just a few visits.

Every Wednesday and Saturday, from 10 a.m. to noon, Bon Air Mountain Community Church opens their back door to visitors to grab food, clothes, or even toys for their kids. Through the back door of the church, there will be a table set out with perishable goods like vegetables or dairy products. Most of these do not have a limit on how much a visitor can get. Then there are dry or boxed foods, and some of those may have a limit due to supply.

The fourth Thursday of every month, though, that is the big one. From 9 a.m. to noon, then again at 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., over 100 pounds of food await those that visit. There is a sign-up on the Thursday events, but then volunteers at the church will help load up groceries that, coupled with the smaller events each week, can really help those that struggle to pick between bills and groceries.

“That’s why we started the food ministries that we do,” said Rodney Ritchie, the church’s pastor. “I found out that White County, the demographics of our area, has a very large number of senior citizens, and even larger number of people below the poverty line.”

Ritchie shared a story of a mother that told the church about how for a time, she was worried she would have to make a choice between paying for her groceries, utilities, or medicine. Bon Air Mountain Community Church never wants anyone to be forced to make that decision.

Pastor Ritchie said, “Through our partnership with Second Harvest, we got access and help from the Dollar Stores in White County. So a lot of what we get, that could have been thousands of dollars wasted throwing it out. Now it can go to people who can use it.”

The next big Food Give Away is set for Jan. 22. Anyone traveling up Bon Air Mountain is likely to notice it before they even see the church, as they often have a line of cars coming in for supplies. The church encourages anybody that needs help to stop by the location.