The Chunky United Methodist Church Food Pantry was notified in October that it would be receiving a $5,000 donation from Campaign for Change, which is the philanthropic and humanitarian initiative of Strike LLC, the parent company of Newton-based Delta Directional Drilling.

Campaign for Change donates more than $1 million each year to local, regional and national charities in an effort to “Change Perspectives and Change Lives” in the communities where they work.

The Chunky UMC Food Pantry is deeply grateful to Delta Directional Drilling and Strike for their generous donation. It will be used to purchase additional food items to go in the 200 boxes given out each month to families in Newton County and surrounding counties.

The first food distribution by the Chunky UMC Food Pantry occurred in November 2012, with 50 boxes of food being given out to families. The pantry now distributes 180 to 200 boxes of food each month during the two-day distribution period.

The pantry was founded by Betty and Johnny Clark of Chunky. When she first thought about starting a food pantry in Chunky, Betty Clark said she began by researching the Hickory food pantry, whose members assured her that there was a need for another pantry in Newton County. She was encouraged to begin the project by then pastor of the Chunky United Methodist Church Rev. Hiram Coker. Current pastor, Rev. Lewis May, also enthusiastically supports the pantry and is a regular volunteer during the food distribution days.

The only place available for the food pantry at the church was the carport of the house owned by the church. Betty Clark then notified the Mississippi Food Network and received a packet to complete. Freezers were donated by a church group and by people in the community with the Mississippi Food Network donating a cooler. The men of the Chunky Methodist Church built tables and shelves to stack the boxes of food.

The Clarks order food once a month from the Mississippi Food Network, which is delivered to Meridian and picked up by the Clarks and other volunteers. Additional food is donated once a week by Walmart, including meat, produce, and non-perishables. The pantry has also received monetary and food donations from the Chunky Methodist Church, the Chunky Baptist Church, the Children’s Ministry at the Chunky Baptist Church, the Lake United Methodist Church, and individuals in and around Chunky. The Newton County Schools have also generously donated can goods each year during their Turkey Trot Food Donation.

On the second Thursday and Friday of each month, 10 to 12 volunteers from the churches in Chunky and community, including members of Righteous Oaks Rehab, donate their time to fill the boxes, handle the paperwork to certify recipients of the food boxes, and carry the boxes to the cars. The clients of the food pantry have to meet qualifications based on income and family size and have to be recertified yearly. During the rest of the month, additional volunteers keep the food storage areas clean with the temperature of the freezers and cooler being checked three times per week. The pantry is also regularly inspected by the Mississippi Food Network and must maintain records of the families that receive the food, including what percentage of food is given to families by county.

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