Food Ministry News

Ginger Luttrell

What a bargain!

I’ve talked before about how much I love the missionary work we do with the Food Ministry. Not a secret, if you are with me more than 5 minutes, the subject Will come up. I got to thinking recently about what a bargain this mission work is. Did just a little internet research on the average cost of a missionary. I couldn’t find any real firm numbers, but estimates range from $1000 to $4000 per month, per missionary. That includes housing, food, utilities, and transportation. I’m guessing that any “mission supplies” would be in addition to that. Another site cited $800 to $4000.00 per month. They both said it depends on where the worker is and what kind of work they are doing. Now then, Bisbee Food Ministry. During any given week, we can have 20-30 volunteers doing the mission work. Food procurement, transportation, stocking, counseling, and administration/clerical. This is all done by volunteers. No one is paid a salary, they all drive their own personal vehicles, of course they furnish their own housing and meals. That’s 30 workers! No cost, no expense. Our operating expenses are very minimal. $65 a month for the dumpster (and we are working on getting a recycle program going, so that may soon even turn a profit for us), $50 per month for a “bug guy”. We get a special deal because we are a faith based ministry. $100 every other month to buy paper sacks to distribute bread/pastry items. And last month we spent $400 on a new deep freeze. I can’t even remember the last time we paid for a freezer or refrigerator, they’ve always been donated. Any other expenses are for the purchase of food to distribute to those in need. That usually runs $1,500 to $2,500 per month. In case you didn’t know, we do have to pay for our food that we get from the Tarrant Area Food Bank. We get a really good deal, just pennies per pound, but it is still a cost. One reason we get such good prices on our food is because we qualify on one of the upper “Tiers” in the classification system. Thanks to our great service, book work, and services offered, we are in the First Tier with the food bank. So for about $2000-3000 per month our ministry functions. What kind of effect do we make on the community? During any given month we serve 500-600 families. We have to keep records on the number of individuals, and then further break it down to identify number of seniors and children(under age 18). 2000-2500 individuals per month, 700 children, and probably about the same number of seniors (couldn’t lay my hands on that number and Kathy H has a deadline to meet with the Buzz). That’s a lot of folks that see Jesus thru us at the Bisbee Food Ministry. Looks like about $1 each. Pretty good deal if you ask me. Of course we couldn’t do it without Bisbee sharing space with us. On Thursdays we pretty much take over the Children and Youth Building, and it’s a good thing you don’t have to pay to park. We do have some dedicated space, and feel so blessed to have it. So many of our clients think of Thursday as their “church” day. They can sing hymns, pray, visit and mingle with Christians, get a bible if they don’t have one, hear a sermon from Pastor Ed(Tabernacle Baptist) once a month, and keep the hungry wolf away from the door. Not much different than if we were in Ethiopia or China. And the bonus for this ministry is that we can always see the ministry in action. I don’t like to compare Jesus to the Dollar Store, but since I am already bought and paid for with His blood and sacrifice, I guess it is. Bisbee Food Ministry, what a bargain.

Happy Mother’s Day!