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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

Local ministry Bread of Life Food Pantry is currently looking for a new host for their mission to serve hungry families in Chilton County. Bread of Life has been housed inside the building at 300 Park Plaza, Clanton with Senior Connection for the past two and a half years. The building was sold at the end of last year, and the food pantry has been looking for a place to host them temporarily, or permanently.

Bread of Life began in June 2022 in Chilton County during a time when they were needed the most. Founder Greg Nobles said when the ministry opened their doors, the Heart of Alabama Food Bank in Montgomery said that Chilton County was one of three counties that they wanted to get more food into because there were not enough food pantries locally. Chilton County was one of three counties in Alabama at the time that had an 18% or higher food insecurity population. Now, over two and a half years later, Chilton County is not on that list anymore due to organizations like Bread of Life helping shrink those numbers.

“All of the volunteers we have tell me they get more out of doing this than the people receiving the food,” Nobles said. “It is a blessing to help people, they want to reach other people … 98% of the people we serve are in dire need of food.”

The goal for the food bank was to serve 60 people per week when it opened, but that grew so large that the three-week rotation turned into a five-week rotation. The rotations mean a family can come once every five weeks to get food. This ensures the food is stretched as far as it can go to as many people as possible. Bread of Life Food Pantry gave away 5,000 pounds of food each week at its height. They buy about 2,500 pounds each week, but the Heart of Alabama Food Bank and other local businesses donate the other half to help give back. Last November, the food bank gave away 550 turkeys for Thanksgiving.

Bread of Life is hoping to find someone who will host them temporarily, but also permanently if the place can fit their needs for the long run. The ministry is looking for a 1,500 square-foot space and parking for about 40 cars. In the meantime, Bread of Life is currently in the process of becoming a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, raising funds and looking for grants towards a new building.