SAN ANTONIO – At a time when many businesses remained closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, a small church in southeast Bexar County was making sure its monthly food pantry was open for business.
About a dozen volunteers set out on a mission Wednesday morning in the parking lot of Resurrection United Methodist Church, filling boxes and bags with food donated by the San Antonio Food Bank.
They were preparing for the drive-thru giveaway, something the church has been offering the surrounding community for the past 32 years.
“In a typical serve, we’ll serve 100-120 families,” Pastor Tim Adams said. “Each family gets about enough food to feed a family of four for an entire week.”
This time around, though, Adams admitted he wasn’t quite sure what to expect. This was the first time his church held the food pantry since the pandemic began, causing people everywhere to lose their jobs.
“I travel this street a lot and I’ve never seen the line this long,” said Tina Dietrich, one of those who showed up to volunteer.
Long before the event began, cars had lined up, stretching about a half-mile down New Sulphur Springs Road.
Some people said they had arrived more than 12 hours early.
“The need is everywhere in San Antonio, including all the way out here,” said Lisa Granato, another volunteer.
Both Granato and Dietrich usually work as nurses in the East Central Independent School District. With schools closed, they were looking for ways to volunteer their time.
“We’re giving to our community,” Granato said. “This is what we do in a time of need.”
Adams said people from two other nearby churches as well as community groups also pitched in to help.
Resurrection United Methodist is one of only a few churches that are still conducting their own food pantries during this pandemic.
While most others have directed their clients to the San Antonio Food Bank’s mega distribution events, Adams said what he is doing is badly needed by his close-knit community.
“Those big mega serves, some of these folks, it’s prohibitive,” he said. “Just in terms of the logistics of it, being able to drive that far away. “
Instead, Adams says his church will make sure this help keeps coming to that corner of the community as long as it is needed.