The Food Pantry of Switzerland County

The Food Pantry of Switzerland County

Annie James

Program Planning and Policy Issues

Ivy Tech Community College

July 19, 2018

The Food Pantry of Switzerland County

The Switzerland County Food Pantry is located at The River Apostolic Church in Vevay, Indiana. The leadership structure is as follows: Pastor Anthony Wilks (boss), Kyle Stout (treasure), Sandy Hickman, Linda Smith, and Annie James (workers). The pantry has been running for five years now. Pam Acton started running the pantry from her office at The Switzerland County Missions. Then Chrissy Stewart who started it from what was then called Truth Apostolic Church. Now, since Chrissy has moved Sandy Hickman, Linda Smith, and Annie James, now run the food pantry every month.

The mission statement posted on the wall said: To glorify God. To sow seeds of faith where none is growing. To show love to our neighbors, as Christ commanded, especially those less fortunate. To support residents by providing access to a food bank for those who are struggling. To assist in providing for both have physical and spiritual needs. And in so doing, taking back what the enemy has stolen. Also, the food pantry must have an equal rights certification and a safe food handling certificate posted if the food inspector comes unexpected.

Sandy Hickman was nice enough to sit down and answer some questions. I asked Sandy, “how many people do you all serve each month?” Sandy replied, “anywhere from one-hundred and forty to two hundred people each month and even more when the holidays are closer, and we only serve Switzerland County residents.”

Some of the other services that The River provides is church for anyone who wants to come and worship, a bible class ran by Jeremiah and Angel Haynes. The class is for anyone who wants to learn more about God, back to school party is ran by Annie James., and a Christian Intervention Program (CIP), it is ran by Kyle and Samantha Stout. That class is for anyone struggling with addiction or family members that have been affected by addiction or anyone who wants to do better in life. The River also has a youth group for teenagers who need help called The Bridge Youth Ministry. The youth may join to learn about God, go places, ot just to talk to the youth ministers if they need help with something specific.

I had asked Sandy, “Does anyone give you grants or donations?” Sandy replied, “Yes, we do get grants from places like the town trustees around in and around Vevay, the Freestore Foodbank of Cincinnati, Ohio can sometimes give us a small grant to still feed people until the new grants come out in January. Also, places like Family Dollar, and Dollar General do food drives for us around the holidays, which helps out a lot.”  I know that many people or organizations do not give as much as they can or as often as they can, I wish there was more help for this food pantry. Sandy or I have to order the food from Cincinnati Freestore Foodbank, in Cincinnati, Ohio in order to feed all the people in Switzerland County, It must be order before the second Thursday of the month, so that the food can be delivered to the pantry on Friday.