Hope Ministries Food Pantry of Woodford County

The Woodford County Food Pantry was formed in 1992 by the Ministerial Association of Woodford County to help the food insecure families of our community.  In 2003, the name was changed to Hope Ministries Food Pantry to fit with all of the social services of the Ministerial Association.  In the twenty plus years this all-volunteer organization has been in existence, thousands of families and individuals have received food assistance to help alleviate food insecurity and give these families the ability to use precious resources for other life sustaining necessities. 

Food Pantry for Woodford County, Inc. has three food programs for our community.  

1.  The food pantry is open two times a week for food distribution.  Our clients can only come once a month to receive commodities and six times a year, to receive commodities, donated foods, donated breads and pastries, purchased meats, cheese, and margarine, a milk and egg voucher, and personal care items when available.  In 2015, the Food Pantry was able to participate in a perishable food program with the local Kroger Company and we receive perishable from Kroger seven days a week, so our clients receive very generous amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables

2.  The second food program is the Senior Commodity Food Box which is distributed on the first Tuesday of each month.  This is an application program for 144 seniors 60 years of age and over.

3.  The third food distribution is the “Food for Underserved Counties.”  This is another commodity food program and 144 food boxes are distributed on the third Wednesday of each month.

This all volunteer organization of 191 volunteers served 3,387 families for 7,526 individuals in 2015.

The support of the community of Woodford County is what keeps this organization in operation. The community keeps the food pantry well stocked through food drives by the schools, businesses, and civic groups.  Volunteer workers are provided by the churches.  The large food distributions are also able to use the community services of inmates of the local detention center.

In time of need this community has also risen to the occasion.  In 2013, HMFP was notified their lease in a school would expire at the end of the year.  The HMFP Board had been looking for suitable lots for a building and affordable existing property for a food pantry, but nothing could be found.  A task force was formed to find a solution to a new location for the food pantry by working with county government and business leaders.  After months of searching and planning, the only recourse was to construct a building on property provided by county government.  The task force was responsible for raising the $300,000 to build and furnish a 4,500 sq. ft. food pantry with warehouse.

In November of 2013, through the churches of the Ministerial Association the fundraising for a new food pantry building was launched and just 15 months later HMFP had a new building, debt-free, and in operation.  All of this was possible through the generosity of a caring community who saw a need and stepped up to do what was right for the community.

The mission of Food Pantry for Woodford County, Inc. as an emergency source of food is to serve food insecure families and give them a chance to get back on their feet and become self-sustaining while the services of Food Pantry for Woodford County, Inc. are there to serve and care for them until their life journey finds a better road.