By Josh P. Crotzer
For many in Iva, monthly incomes stretch thin, and grocery costs keep rising.
The food pantry at First Baptist Church of Iva continues to be a steady help for neighbors in need, providing food and essential household items to hundreds of people each month.
Orr Kilgore and other pantry volunteers get food ready from the warehouse in downtown Iva, then transport the boxes to First Baptist Church of Iva.
“We serve anywhere from 200 to 250 families every two weeks,” says Bettie Ritchie, the pantry’s director. “Many of the people in Iva are seniors living on a fixed income. Some try to make it work on just $600 a month. It’s rough.”
On alternating Tuesdays, Ritchie and her team of volunteers gather at the church to distribute boxes filled with staple foods such as rice, canned vegetables and cereal. They also include non-food essentials such as detergent, shampoo and toilet paper.
Many of the pantry’s supplies are donated by Food Lion and Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. The church itself has stepped up to provide financial support, increasing its monthly contribution from $500 to $800 to help sustain the program. The pantry also gets support from Bible study groups and private donors.
Little River Electric also is a faithful supporter of the pantry, recently donating $1,000 from the co-op’s Operation Round Up Fund. Previous donations from the Little River Electric trust helped the pantry purchase refrigerators and freezers, allowing the pantry to store perishable items so it can offer more fresh produce, dairy and meats.
The pantry’s recipients often get more than just a box full of essentials. Volunteers provide help in whatever way they can.
“There’s nowhere else in Iva for these people to go,” Ritchie says. “Some walk a mile and a half just to get here. When that happens, we drive them back home. It’s just the right thing to do.”
Wendell Keith is one of those who travels nearly a mile on foot, along with a rolling cart, to get to the pantry.
“I usually don’t have any money to purchase food on my own,” says Keith. “What they have is a Godsend from the church. So, I really appreciate what they do. It really helps you out.”
For those who want to contribute, donations can be made directly through First Baptist Church of Iva.
“People sometimes say, ‘I know it’s not much,’” Ritchie says. “But I tell them, ‘It’s more than I had a minute ago.’ Every bit helps.”
WANT TO HELP? Contact First Baptist Church of Iva, (864) 348-6511, located at 9536 Highway 81 South in Iva.
