Burleson Food Bank Helps Curb Hunger
Dale Cheatham“This is amazing,” said a teary-eyed Mike Walker with a trembling voice full of emotion. “I can’t believe it. Well, yes, I can. With the Lord everything is possible.”
Walker, himself a volunteer, was talking about the number of people there to help set out food for Faith to Faith Ministries’ monthly food bank in Burleson, Texas. When they started the food bank at a different location in 2010 it was just he, Pastor Ron Williams, and his wife, Jackquelyn Williams, setting everything up. Now, the number of volunteers has grown to 25-30.
On the third Saturday of every month, 100 – 150 families receive a variety of free food. Additionally, Faith to Faith provides food for several other ministries including those who minister to senior citizens in the Mariposa Apartments in both Burleson and Joshua, as well as those who help and minister to the homeless in multiple locations in Fort Worth, and families in need in Mansfield and Fort Worth.
Each month food is delivered and much of it is picked up by Pastor Williams and stored at his church. Food is provided by Midwest Food in Fort Worth, SOS Foods in Fort Worth, Harvesting in Mansfield, and Harvest House in Burleson. Some food is donated and Faith to Faith Ministries purchases about 2,000 pounds of food each month.
Pastor Williams and his wife, Jackquelyn, started the food drive at a store-front church in Burleson in 2010 before moving to their current location on Rand Drive in 2015. Walker said when Pastor Williams and Jackquelyn started the ministry they took money out of their own pockets and delivered food to those in need. They continue to provide funding for the ministry.
“Jesus fed the hungry and helped the homeless,” Walker said, “and we have all been asked to do what the Savior did.” He has seen the life-changing impact the food drive has had on many individuals and said Pastor Williams and his wife have been at the heart of it bringing many people together and serving the Lord.
The cadre of volunteers has grown to include Baptists, Catholics, members from several independent churches, and from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, along with other faiths.
“I was impressed with their willingness to serve the community,” said President Steve Beauchamp, a Burleson area leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and volunteer at the food bank. “It was well organized, and people were anxious to participate,” he added, expressing gratitude for being able to be part of such an altruistic endeavor.
Regardless of where they live, anyone in need of food can show up at Faith to Faith Ministries at 336 SW Rand Drive in Burleson on the third Saturday of each month. Sign-in is at 8:30 a.m. and food is typically distributed starting at 9 a.m. Those interested in volunteering can arrive at 7 a.m. when set-up begins. This service opportunity is listed on justserve.org.
Those interested in donating food for the drive can contact Pastor Williams at 817-360-1465 and monetary donations can also be made at ftfmburleson.com.
Photos by Dale Cheatham.
