El-Ada, churches pick up slack food for the needy

by Michael Nowotny

Mountain Home News

Current economic conditions have increased the number of families needing food assistance this year, and with the demise of the Cheer Basket project the efforts to provide holiday food supplies have fallen on El Ada and local church food banks.

El-Ada Inc, located at 240 N. 3rd East St., organizes three separate distributions during the year: commodity, salvage food, and emergency food.

Commodities are distributed on the second Thursday of every month. Salvage food is distributed every Thursday morning at 9:30-11 a.m.. Emergency food is distributed only once every 60 days.

El-Ada recommends for residents to call 587-8407 during business hours (Monday-Friday 8 a.m to 4 p.m.) for picking up food.

El-Ada's pantry currently is full due to recent food drives by the Boy Scouts and Mountain Home High School. El Ada does accept walk-ins to pick up or donate food. During the winter months, El-Ada also aids in energy assistance.

The following is a list of local churches and what they do to benefit the hungry:

Christian Baptist Church--The church, located at 265 N. 4th East St., has a small pantry that is open to the community. The church does hand out Christmas boxes on a limited basis. To pick up or donate food to the church, call 587-4316 on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Faith Lutheran Church--The church, located at 1190 N. 6th East St., has a full pantry loaded with canned goods, non-perishables and boxed goods that is open to the community. To make arrangements at Faith Lutheran call Pastor Kellerman at 587-4127, 9 a.m. to Noon, Monday through Friday.

First Southern Baptist Church--The church, located at 1400 N. 3rd East St., has a replenished pantry. The pantry is open to not just members of First Southern, but to the community.

The church's food pantry is loaded with dry and canned goods and on occasion frozen meats and vegetables.

First Southern Baptist Church distributes food every Tuesday morning, 9 a.m.-Noon. On Sundays, after service, the church distributes food to churchgoers starting at 12:30 p.m.

Residents can donate food during normal business hours, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. To pick up food, residents will have to call 587-3828.

Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church--The church, located at 115 N. 4th East St., has increased the number of families they feed a month from eight to over 25. To pick up food, call 587-3406, during the hours of 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday-Friday.

The Mountain Home Church of the Nazarene--The church, located at 950 N. 7th East St., provides a pantry that is open to the community and consists of dry goods and non-perishable items. To make an appointment for picking up food call 587-3093 during the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m..