Tazewell food pantry provides groceries and compassion to those struggling economically - Bluefield Daily Telegraph

Tazewell food pantry provides groceries and compassion to those struggling economically - Bluefield Daily Telegraph

TAZEWELL, Va. — In tough economic times, finding enough money to pay for food and other necessities becomes a struggle for many families and individuals; fortunately, there are organizations ready to help out with compassion and bags of groceries.

The name of one local entity that offers help with food needs, A Child Shall Lead Them Food Pantry came about from a trip its future director was taking with some young people.

“There were six youth that went to Washington D.C. to look at the food pantries, and soup kitchens,” Director Pam Irvin of A Child Shall Lead Them Food Pantry said. “And they decided to start one here. And it just morphed into something that they couldn’t do by themselves. It’s grown into what it is today. That was in 1992...my son was only nine at the time. We were allowed to go along to D.C. and then two of the children were from Tazewell Christian Church. They asked me to be on the board. I guess it was God’s plan, it just kind of morphed into what it is now.”

The people operating the food bank work with the community. “We just give out one month supply of emergency food,” Irvin said. “And this month we’re giving out school supplies. And at Christmas we give out an extra bag of food.”

According to Irvin, the bags given out at the pantry are just like a bag of groceries you would get at the grocery store. “It’s nutritionally balanced and canned and boxed,” she said. “We do sometimes give out a donation of eggs, but we don’t purchase eggs. But we do get donations.”

The food pantry is located in Tazewell, Va. “We’re at 161 Cailine Avenue, that’s off of Tazewell Avenue, here in Tazewell, Va,” Irvin said.

The number of people fed by the food pantry varies from month-to-month. “This past month in August we served 569 individuals and we were closed a week,” Irvin said. “Most of the time it’s between 700 and 800 a month.”  

Irvin described the structure housing the food pantry. 

“It was a store building and then it was a beauty shop. It’s one big room and has a little room on the back for supplies. We serve from Tazewell, to Bluefield, and Pocahontas,” she stated. 

There are approximately 50 part-time and full-time volunteer workers. “Some of them work one time a year and then a lot of us work every week,” Irvin said. “No one here gets paid.”

Irvin laughed and replied “everything” when asked what she did as director of the pantry. “I do all the book keeping, all the banking, all the speaking, if anyone wants me to speak somewhere, I keep up with the records and statistics,” Irvin said. “I don’t have to get into ordering the food, I have a food manager which is wonderful. A food manager keeps up with all the food, he orders if something is low, and sees that it is delivered to the food pantry. Put in bags and given out.” 

Several entities in the Tazewell County area support the pantry. “We’re supported by churches, organizations and individuals,” Irvin said. “I started out on the board in 1993. I became the director in 1995, and I’m still here. Lifetime position, I guess.”

The food pantry has become a staple to the community. “There’s some churches who have food pantries, and of course Labor of Love gives out food,” Irvin said. “It’s a staple, it’s a week’s worth of groceries if not more. I’m sure they would be really hurting if we weren’t here.”

Irvin said the need was great in the area. “There was such a need here,” Irvin said. “At that time there was nothing in this area like there is now.”

There are  a couple of reasons why Irvin volunteers to help local people in need. “I can’t go to Africa and be a missionary,” Irvin said. “But you can be a missionary in your own hometown and that’s kind of what I do. This is as far as I can travel. We are so blessed, those of us that we don’t have to come here for food, that it just inspires you to help.”   

— Contact Blake Stowers at bstowers@bdtonline.com