George Culley of Least of the Brethren Food Ministry believes the food fair is one way the group is living out their motto: Jesus’ hands feed the hungry. Least of the Brethren has sponsored 18 food fairs with St. Louis Area Foodbank over the past 12 years.
Culley said more than 20,000 pounds of food was distributed to those 250 families, including soup, produce, potatoes, apples, a whole frozen turkey, ground turkey, hot dogs and bacon.
Volunteers help load vehicles with food during a St. Louis Area Foodbank Food Fair at the Least of the Brethren Food Pantry on Thursday in Pinckneyville. More than 20,000 pounds of food was distributed to more than 250 families during the event. The food insecurity rate in Pinckneyville is estimated to be as high as 17.5% due to job losses, furloughs and other issues related to COVID-19.
Byron Hetzler
“We’ve got a lot of meat to give people. We couldn’t do it without St. Louis Area Foodbank and Molina,” Culley said.
Molina Healthcare, a managed Medicare plan, helped provide the food that was given away, according to Molina community engagement specialist Erin McNamara-Stafford.
“There are so many people in need in our communities,” McNamara-Stafford said. “They are worried about their next meal, not about their overall health. We want to make sure the community feels loved and help provide some of the necessities of life.”
“We are thankful for Least of the Brethren. They do a really great job for their community and the surrounding area,” Schroeder said.
For more information about the work of St. Louis Area Foodbank, visit stlfoodbank.org.
To make a donation or volunteer, contact Least of the Brethren Food Pantry at 618-357-9530.
618-351-5078
