Having increased the number of people it serves by about 800 percent since the fall of 2015, the Anderson Food Pantry has outgrown its current building and soon will move to a nearby feed store.
"We have experienced tremendous growth," said Melissa Darst, executive director of Mission Reclaimed, whose presence in the Brazos Valley is through the administration of the Anderson Food Pantry.
Supplied with food by the Brazos Valley Food Bank, the Anderson Food Pantry hands out fresh fruit and vegetables, cleaning products and toiletries and two grocery bags of nonperishable goods the first Thursday of every month from 9 a.m. to noon and 5 to 7 p.m.
"They definitely walk out with overflowing arms," Darst said of those they serve.
Darst said the pantry distributed 125,000 pounds of food in Grimes, Brazos, Madison and Washington counties in 2017, serving their clients with love and care and providing hugs in addition to food.
"They feel very welcome and not judged," Darst said of the families the pantry serves. "They feel loved at our pantry."
Darst said the nonprofit is raising money to renovate the new building and expand the available programming through monthly events such as a farmer's market and community festivals.
Talking about the current space the pantry occupies, Darst said there isn't room for food, volunteers or clients.
"It's very congested," she said, adding that the floors were built in the 1800s, and there's no running water or restrooms. "We are running out of room to even store our food."
For the new feed store, Darst said they'll need to build concrete ramps to serve their elderly clients, a parking lot, restrooms and install infrastructure for electricity.
"We're not ready to move in right now," she said.
There will be a Feast to Feed Gala at the Stella Hotel on April 28 from 7 to 11 p.m. The Great Gatsby-themed party will feature live music, an 11-piece band, dinner, dancing and a live and silent auction. Proceeds will benefit the Anderson Food Pantry and their Feed Store project.
"We want people to know we are a faith-based ministry, so we give God all the glory, but we take time to love on people," Darst said. "That's why people want to come back."
