Lord’s Pantry fills hunger gap in Albany

ALBANY — For families living below the poverty line or working within tight budgets, the hunger gap can be real. With winter causing an increase in heating bills and the holiday season approaching, many families wonder where to turn for help.

According to latest statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau, 33.8 percent of the people living in Albany are living below the poverty rate. In 2011, Dougherty County reportedly had the highest poverty rate in the state. And in 2014, when MSN listed poverty rates for 365 U.S. cities based on median income, they ranked Albany and Valdosta as two of the poorest cities in the country.

All things considered, the Lord’s Pantry is striving to make a difference. For more than four decades, the agency has been filling the hunger and clothing gap for those living in and around Albany.

Since serving its first client on Jan. 27, 1975, the Lord’s Pantry has become a safety net for thousands of individuals plus their family members who are living in or on the edge of poverty.

“It all started with a bag of groceries for someone in need,” said Tom Wilburn, who now serves as director of the pantry.

The Lord’s Pantry founder, Henry Duggan, was a social worker at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital who served those in need of groceries and other assistance due to high medical bills, Wilburn said.

“Mr. Duggan would see people who checked out of the hospital, and they would reconnect with him because they had no food or no money left to pay rent or utilities or they had no food because they had missed work and had such high medical bills,” Wilburn said. “He wanted to keep on helping them. Over time, the Lord’s Pantry grew from helping one person at a time. Mr. Duggan joined forces with some ministers in town and they began handing out groceries from the back end of a station wagon.”

The need for help “seems like it never ends,” Wilburn said.

Wilburn said the agency has a small endowment that pays utility bills and for office supplies, but nearly all funds are used to purchase food.

The agency initially bought all of its food from an east Albany grocer who gave the Lord’s Pantry a small discount. But that store went out of business a few years ago. The ministry then bought food at just above wholesale from Walmart and eventually linked in with the Second Harvest Food Bank where food is purchased at below wholesale prices by the pallet.

“We get an inventory list, and then we place our orders,” Wilburn said.

Winter heating costs, medical bills, car trouble, a broken appliance, a cut-back in work hours or the loss of a job, unexpected house guests, delays in food stamps — any of those issues can cause a family to go hungry. And in Southwest Georgia, there are only a few places to turn to for help.

The mission of the pantry is to provide free groceries, clothing and spiritual encouragement to those in Dougherty and surrounding counties, including Baker, Calhoun, Lee, Mitchell, Terrell and Worth.

“Our help is available to any needy clients who legally reside in Georgia,” Wilburn said. “Last year, we gave out 62,000 pieces of clothing and 297,280 pounds of groceries.”

Even though Albany has a large number of churches and one of the nation’s highest poverty rates, Wilburn said he does not know of any other pantries providing groceries and clothing.

Last year the monthly average for clients receiving food and clothing just for themselves was 602, and for those with families it was 640, representing a drop in the number of individuals seeking assistance (down from 682 in 2015) but showing an increase in the number of families in need (up from 571 in 2015).

According to Wilburn, the lack of resources available to those needing just a little bit of help to carry them over or to fill a gap is a problem.

“There are some places that serve hot meals, but there are few resources in our region for families needing groceries,” Wilburn said. “There never is enough (to meet the community’s needs).”

The Lord’s Pantry is a 501-(c)(3) corporation and is funded primarily through donations from churches, individuals or local businesses. It also receives some grant funds. Last week, for example, the Lord’s Pantry received a $7,000 grant from the Mitchell Electric Charitable Fund.

Except for holidays, the pantry is open Mondays-Fridays, 52 weeks a year. Clients are served from approximately 7:30-10:30 a.m.

“We take 30 clients a day or we stop at 10:30 a.m., whichever comes first,” said Wilburn.

A system is in place for each client. They first must register with a case manager. Clients can come once a month for assistance. After registration, each client or family can select clothing items from a section of the warehouse.

“We have all sizes. This is their Dillard’s or their Belks,” Wilburn said.

After receiving clothing items, each adult will get a pre-packed box of food items containing staples such as dried beans, peanut butter and jelly, macaroni and cheese, and about 14 cans of vegetables. Families with children will be given an additional box with granola bars, cereal and other food items.

“Around this time of year, the need for food increases dramatically,” Wilburn said. “Many churches and schools help out by hosting food drives. Last year, Sherwood Christian Academy gave over 4,900 food items when they held a food drive, and they raised over $3,500 in cash.”

Wilburn said clothes drives also help — especially as winter approaches.

Wilburn noted that a group of “special needs” students from Lee County has also been helping out at the pantry for the past three to four years. And each fall, local farmers donate peanuts and other produce.

“Last year, we had 500 pounds of loose peanuts and those students helped sack them up,” he said.

Although the pantry provides mostly clothing and food, Wilburn said they will accept just about anything but furniture. Toys, paper products and kitchen items are always needed.

Volunteers are also needed — every day.

“We have about 50 volunteers. Most are senior citizens,” Wilburn said. “More help is needed during open hours and to help sort through donations— especially from now through the holiday season.”

The Lord’s Pantry is located at 219 W. Society Ave. in Albany. For more information, call (229) 435-0911.