Food Lion stocks pantry shelves in Millington - The Star Democrat

MILLINGTON — Promoted as “The Great Pantry Makeover,” Food Lion employees stocked shelves and remodeled pantries in 10 states as part of Feeding America’s Hunger Action Month in September.

The food pantry Faye and Robert Everett oversee at Asbury United Methodist Church in Millington was one of the first to benefit in a program that upgraded 30 pantries in 30 days.

Brandon Price, the assistant manager of the Food Lion in Millington, and his team of employees — Jimmy Jones, Pat Perno, Shawna Barsness and Donna Jones — did most of the roll-up-your-sleeves work on a hot Thursday, Sept. 8.

They painted and cleaned rooms; built shelves and installed equipment to expand capacity for fresh fruits, vegetables and other products; and stocked shelves and filled freezers with Food Lion products for the pantry that serves the Millington and Galena areas in Kent County and northern Queen Anne’s County.

Price and the other Food Lion employees donated their time.

“It’s about helping fight poverty in the community,” Price said. “Our people in the community shouldn’t have to chose between paying their bills or buying medication, and feeding their family. ... We were there to help.”

Faye Everett, the self-titled “coordinator” of the food pantry and its bookkeeper, said there are 104 families on her list, including one family of four generations. Between 50 and 60 families are assisted each month.

The food pantry in the church hall is open from 9 a.m to noon every Monday; the limit is one visit per month.

Asbury UM Church also has a backpack program for schoolchildren, a mobile food pantry and a lunch program.

Last year, 32 students from Millington Elementary School were sent home on Fridays with food for the weekend to help supplement what might be available at home. The backpack holds two breakfasts, two lunches, two snacks and two fruits. Included sometimes are “goodies” that include candy and small trinkets.

“We could do as many as 50 this year,” said Everett, who believes the backpack program is reaching only a small percentage of students who are eligible for help.

As many as 20 volunteers help Faye Everett, 68, and Robert Everett, 74, a retired high school math teacher and longtime Sunday school teacher. They have been married for 44 years.

For many years, Asbury UM Church had a small food pantry stocked sporadically by parishioners. It expanded once the lunch program took off about 10 years ago.

The pantry partnered with the Maryland Food Bank in Salisbury about six years ago. Washington College, Pepperidge Farm, the Millington Food Lion, area Girl Scouts, BB&T, local farmers, gardeners and hunters also are key contributors. Robert Everett harvests tomatoes, peppers, sweet potatoes, cantaloupes, watermelon and okra from his farm on Big Stone Road.

For its part Sept. 8, the Food Lion corporation donated two 21-cubic-foot freezers — “I got the biggest ones I could get,” said Faye Everett — and filled them with its brand of vegetables and chicken.

The two new freezers supplement three chest freezers the Everetts try to keep filled with chicken, venison, meat balls and bologna.

Faye Everett said she found her calling with the food pantry after a Bible study lesson of “The Purpose-Driven Life.”

“I’m grateful that I’m able to do it. I’ve had cancer three times and both knees replaced, but I’m carrying on,” she said.

Faye Everett said occasionally community members will stop by the food pantry even when they don’t need anything but because they feel loved here.

“That makes it worthwhile,” she said.

Everyone is welcome.

“We don’t discriminate against alcoholics or drugs addicts or anyone who might be down on their luck,” she said. “We’ve found that the way we treat people is the way they treat us. That’s what we’re supposed to do, treat others as we want to be treated.”

While the Everetts are the face of the food pantry, so to speak, there are many who work tirelessly behind the scenes.

“We find help in unexpected places,” said Faye. “People see your vision of helping and they step up. And then their neighbors step up. It’s family.”

Faye and Robert Everett said “as long as our health holds up,” they plan to continue volunteering with the food pantry indefinitely.