Volunteers and staff at Covenant Christian Church are continuing to provide food and essential household items to dozens of Knox County families each month with support from Food For The Hungry of Knox County.
Food For The Hungry of Knox County recently visited Covenant Christian Church, 13360 New Delaware Road in Mount Vernon, as volunteers prepared for the pantry's monthly food distribution. Volunteers unloaded trucks, packed bags, stocked freezers, and organized supplies ahead of the second Saturday distribution, which serves about 80 to 85 families each month. Covenant received a $2,500 summer 2026 grant from Food For The Hungry and was one of 12 organizations awarded grants totaling $30,500 this summer.
The partnership helps the church provide enough food for a family of four for approximately two weeks while also supplying household essentials that many assistance programs do not cover. Pantry Director Pam Vanderpool said the ministry is rooted in compassion, shaped by her own childhood experience with food insecurity, before expressing gratitude for the community's support.
“We try so hard to maximize your dollars,” Vanderpool said. “Without those dollars, we simply could not do what we do and serve those we serve.”
Vanderpool also explained that the pantry strives to meet practical needs while preserving the dignity of every family it serves, especially during the summer months when children are home from school and eating more meals at home.
“For whatever reason, they have hit a bump in the road and need that boost, that encouragement, that meal,” Vanderpool said.
Vanderpool said one item she makes sure every family receives is toilet paper because federal nutrition programs such as SNAP do not cover basic household necessities. Providing those everyday essentials, she said, is another way the pantry shows care and respect for those seeking assistance.
The ministry relies on a dedicated team of church volunteers, many of whom have served for years. Volunteers use a conveyor belt system that moves totes past stocked shelves while workers add designated food items before others help load the groceries into recipients' vehicles.
Vanderpool also reflected on how unexpected moments often become blessings. She recalled accidentally ordering cases of macaroni and cheese instead of individual boxes and deciding to give each family an entire case. The following month, one woman returned in tears and shared that the macaroni had sustained her when it was all she had to eat.
The Covenant Christian Church food pantry is open from 10 a.m. to noon on the second Saturday of each month, excluding November. Knox County residents must provide proof of residency, a photo ID, and meet financial eligibility requirements. Food For The Hungry said it is proud to partner with Covenant Christian Church in helping address food insecurity throughout the community.
