Who is eligible to receive food pantry services?
The Edwards Street Fellowship Center food pantry provides emergency and supplemental food to around 1,600 households every month from the following Mississippi counties: Covington, Forrest, Jasper, Jeff Davis, Jones, Lamar and Wayne. Eligibility is determined by household income using Mississippi Food Network guidelines.
When is the food pantry open?
In 2023, the pantry will be closed January 2, April 7, May 29, July 4, September 4, November 23-24, and December 25 for holidays.
What information does a new client need to sign up for services?
Our staff and volunteers work with each client to complete the client eligibility form, so the clients do not need reading or writing skills to apply for food pantry services.
How often may clients receive food bags from the pantry?
Clients may receive food bags one time per month. New clients receive a food pantry card with a calendar of their suggested food pick-up dates for the year.
Where do we get our food?
The Edwards Street Fellowship Center food pantry provides emergency and supplemental food to around 1,600 households every month from the following Mississippi counties: Covington, Forrest, Jasper, Jeff Davis, Jones, Lamar and Wayne. Eligibility is determined by household income using Mississippi Food Network guidelines.
When is the food pantry open?
- 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays
- 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays & Fridays
In 2023, the pantry will be closed January 2, April 7, May 29, July 4, September 4, November 23-24, and December 25 for holidays.
What information does a new client need to sign up for services?
- BRING a photo ID for one adult in the household.
- KNOW the names and dates of birth of all household members.
- KNOW the total household income from all sources, including SNAP, TANF, and SSI.
- KNOW whom you will allow to pick up your food. Clients may designate friends or family members to pick up their monthly food bags in the event of their absence. Applicants should be prepared to tell us the names of those designees during the application process.
Our staff and volunteers work with each client to complete the client eligibility form, so the clients do not need reading or writing skills to apply for food pantry services.
How often may clients receive food bags from the pantry?
Clients may receive food bags one time per month. New clients receive a food pantry card with a calendar of their suggested food pick-up dates for the year.
Where do we get our food?
- ESFC is an approved distribution agency of the Mississippi Food Network, which warehouses and distributes products from the USDA, Feeding America, and wholesale food distributors.
- We purchase bulk dry food-- such as rice and beans-- which volunteers repackage into family-size portions. We are blessed to receive grant funds from the Asbury Foundation of Hattiesburg, United Way of Southeast Mississippi, and other private and corporate donors to purchase bulk food.
- Food collection drives by school groups, churches, and community organizations account for a large amount of our pantry inventory. See below for a list of the most-needed food items. This form is helpful for distributing at food drives as a handy shopping guide for potential food donors.
- Extra Table is a non-profit agency committed to eliminating hunger in Mississippi. As Extra Table's first partner agency, we gratefully receive monthly shipments of first-quality, healthy food delivered by Extra Table to our food pantry at no cost to ESFC.
- Our community gardens provide fresh produce for the food pantry. Volunteers are welcome to help plant, maintain, and harvest the crops!
- Corporate donors, including Dollar General, E&B Discount Grocery, Merchant Foodservice, Pizza Hut, Southbound Bagel, Subway, and Walmart-Petal, generously allow us to pick up donated food items on a regular basis. Volunteers repackage many of these foods into family-size servings.
- The Society of Saint Andrew coordinates the gleaning of produce from farmers' fields across the state to provide fresh food to ESFC and other food pantries.
- Hunter's Harvest is a program of the Mississippi Wildlife Federation and Mississippi Food Network that pairs feeding agencies with deer hunters and meat processors.
- Where? Old River Road Deer Processing, 456 Old River Rd., Petal, MS, (601) 554-0888, and Strick's Deer Processing, 3802 West 4th St., Hattiesburg, MS, (601) 264-2502.
- How? Hunters offer dressed or quartered deer meat as a donation at Strick's or Old River Rd. on behalf of the Edwards Street Fellowship Center food pantry.
- Cost? Hunters can pay the processing fees or choose to let Hunter's Harvest cover the costs.
- Quantity? There's no limit to how much meat a hunter can donate. Deer hunters, please donate your next hunt to a great cause!
How can you help?
- Organize a food collection drive. A list of staple items appears below. This form is helpful for distributing at food drives as a handy shopping guide for potential food donors.
- Contact us to volunteer in the gardens or food pantry (bagging groceries or checking in clients on the computer).
- Support us financially.
- Pray for our ministry and the families we serve.
Here are some of the most needed nonperishable items:
|
Canned fruit
Soup Boxed or dry powdered milk Pasta Pasta sauce |
Tomato sauce
Canned tomatoes Granola bars Oatmeal Rice Quick grits |
Low-sugar cereal
Mac & cheese Dry beans Canned vegetables Peanut butter |
Canned meat (chicken, tuna,
Vienna sausage) Canned chili Canned ravioli Pet food (dog or cat—for the pet food bank |
Please purchase family-size canned goods rather than commercial-size #10 cans.
Donations should be dropped off at 1919 Edwards St., Building 1,
from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.
Thank you!
Donations should be dropped off at 1919 Edwards St., Building 1,
from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.
Thank you!