With God’s Grace Mobile Food Pantry came to New Carlisle for the first time on Saturday, February 20, offering a variety of food and household goods to those in need.
The line formed long before the pantry was set to begin handing out items in the parking lot of HomeSite Health Care on Brubaker Drive, and the owner of the New Carlisle Domino’s Pizza arrived just before 1 p.m. to deliver an assortment of complimentary pizzas for those who came to stock up on supplies.
The creator of With God’s Grace Mobile Food Pantry is Nicole Adkins, who runs the pantry with her husband James. Adkins is an energetic and genuinely compassionate Christian with an undeniable charisma that undoubtedly puts her patrons at ease.
Adkins said last week that those who need food assistance should not feel ashamed, noting that everyone needs help with basic needs at some point in their lives. Her mantra is that those who patronize her pantry should never under any circumstances be judged on their need. True to her word, those who attended her pantry in New Carlisle this weekend were met with smiles, hugs, and kindhearted words as they waited in line and then browsed through the grand assortment of food, household goods, handmade blanket and scarves, personal hygiene products, and pet food.
Adkins said it is so important that she keep her pantry stocked with pet food and supplies because most people will share their own food with their pets instead of letting them go without. She wants people to be able to enjoy the food meant for human consumption and the animals to eat their own kibble, so that everyone is accounted for.
Volunteers are an integral part of Adkins’ operation, as she relies on their generosity not only in the form of donations, but through their assistance in distributing the items at each pantry’s location. Though she asked for 30 volunteers to help operate the pantry this weekend, she had more than enough hands this time, as 36 people showed up to help.
Adkins said she was able to help 76 families at the New Carlisle location this weekend. Of those assisted, 84 were adults age 18 through 59; 66 were children, and 25 were senior citizens, resulting in 175 people whose nutritional worries were temporarily alleviated through With God’s Grace.
Adkins said she was also able to provide supplies for 31 furry friends as a result of Saturday’s event.
Patrons were able to do some grocery-style shopping as they browsed the endless line of items before them. They stocked up their own pantries as well as being treated to lunch on their way out, as they were served hot pizza, cold lemonade, and a tasty dessert before leaving.
Adkins reminded those with access to social media to check out With God’s Grace’s Facebook page for updates on their upcoming locations. On Saturday, February 27, the pantry will hold a “Fill the Truck” event in Fairborn as a way to stock up on much-needed donations. Adkins and her husband rely solely on donations to fill their pantry shelves, paying out of their own pockets for items they cannot get through donations. She said they are certified as a non-profit corporation, and that they are currently in the process of obtaining their 501c3 status.
City Councilman William Lindsey stopped by the pantry site to see what it was all about, saying it made him happy to see someone doing so much good for the citizens of New Carlisle.
“I’m glad to see that we have a mobile food pantry that was so gracious to come to New Carlisle to help feed the elderly and the underprivileged,” said Lindsey. “I just thought it was a wonderful thing that they were able to do this.”
Adkins encouraged those in need to visit her next pantry location, set for March 19 in Yellow Springs and April 16 in Huber Heights. The Fill-the-Truck event will be held this Saturday, February 27, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the parking lot of Adkins’ vacuum store at 1652 Kauffman Avenue in Fairborn.
Like With God’s Grace on Facebook for more information.
