Editorial
Front Page - Monday, November 30, 2009
Giving throughout the year
Ethan C. Nobles
Special to the Daily Record ecnobles@att.net
Donna Goodner of Old South Realty in Benton said her office is an enthusiastic supporter of Angel Food Ministries, a program that exists to provide food to people living on fixed incomes, going through hard times, looking to economize or simply unable to make it to the grocery store regularly.
“We use the Angel Food program at least once a month if not more than that,” Goodner said, explaining that her office buys food for an elderly couple in Benton and delivers it to their home. “It’s a great program – you get a bargain and you get a lot of variety.”
Furthermore, Goodner said that the Realtors in her office take turns delivering the Angel Food packages to the couple.
“It warms your heart to see how much they appreciate your visits,” she said.
Denise Hyde, also of Old South Realty, said it’s a great thing the Angel Food program is around for anyone needing a little help.
“I think it’s a great program for people who may have hit hard times,” she said. “They get a lot of food for a modest amount of money.”
Hyde said the program is just one way through which the Realtors in her office observe the notion that Realtors should help out their communities.
“We always give back,” she said. “That’s just part of being a Realtor.”
Hyde and Goodner both agreed – there is usually a push to help people out around the holidays, but the Angel Food program benefits people throughout the year.
Stephanie Wagner said that point is emphasized through the program.
“This is a year round opportunity for people to give to the community,” she said. “They’re hungry 12 months out of the year.”
Wagner is the host site director for the program at First Southern Baptist Church of Bryant. Angel Food is a national program and distributes food through churches like First Southern Baptist.
Wagner said First Southern Baptist serves as an “Angel Food hub” for about 15 churches in Grant, Lonoke, Pulaski and Saline which pick up food and distribute it through their own networks. More information about the program can be found on the Internet at AngelFoodMinistries.com.
Wagner said the program works a couple of ways. People can log onto the aforementioned Web site, find their local Angel Food hub and buy enough groceries for at least a week for half – or less – than what it would cost them at the grocery store. Also, Wagner said individuals and organizations such as Old South Realty can place orders and donate food to families and individuals.
Wagner said Angel Food, as an organization, has had trouble getting the word out that the program is for anyone – not just people considered to be dealing with hard times. In this rough economy, for example, some people may just be interested in economizing.
“It is available to anybody,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be someone in need. It could be just someone who appreciates a great value.”
Indeed, steaks, cheese, allergen- free food and other items are on the Angel Food menu. The current menus are posted on the organization’s Internet site.
Another problem Angel Food has is simply getting the word out to people about the program. Wagner said the program has gained visibility through her church since First Southern Baptist committed to assist Angel Food about four years ago, but a lot of people in the area who could benefit about the program still don’t know about it.
She said there are volunteers who do spread the word about the program and even teachers at local schools have been known to slip some information about Angel Food in the backpacks of children from families that might benefit.
Wagner added that the program is always in need of volunteers and donations and more information about what is needed is available through the aforementioned
Internet site.
Wagner said First Southern Baptist first got involved after the hurricanes of 2005 hit the Gulf Coast and a lot of relief efforts were focused on that area. It was hard to get help to area families when food was being funneled to areas hit by disasters, so First Southern Baptist started to look at the Angel Food program.
Wagner said the program fit their needs because people who benefit from it typically do have the “pride of having supplied themselves” because a lot of them do purchase directly from Angel Food. Also, she pointed out people don’t have to fight through a government bureaucracy to get help.
“It’s just a very flexible program,” she said. “We didn’t want people who came to us … to go through the red tape. If they came to us and said they were in need, we just wanted to be able to help them.”
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