In Orange County, Southern California, where nearly a million more people are at risk of starvation each month from the COVID-19 pandemic, Pastor Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church is the largest food resource, as the congregation seeks to follow Jesus’ example.
Since the pandemic began in March, mega church volunteers have distributed more than 2.4 million pounds of food on more than three hundred grocery distribution opportunities in Orange County, according to The Epoch Times.
“Saddleback has been powering our network for over 10 years,” Saddleback Communications Minister Ashley Eure said.”When COVID arrived, we expanded our distribution to satisfy developing desires.Every Saddleback campus in Southern California has helped organize food distributions and meet the physical requirements and non-secular desires that families face lately.
“Pastor Rick said that, as Christians, we are called to participate in situations of pain.At a time when the global is afraid and suffering, from fleeing from it, we will run into pain and find other people wherever they are.”
Second Harvest Food Bank, Saddleback’s distribution partner, says one in six young people in Orange County is in danger of starving.Those at risk also come with fixed-income seniors, the disabled and the homeless, and the number can be only more than 450,000.
The Food Bank O.C.La is the spouse of the Saddleback Church in this initiative.
According to the church’s website, distribution will continue in September in the Anaheim, Corona, South Irvine, Lake Forest, Laguna Woods, Capistrano And San Clemente areas.
The church is inviting more volunteers to provide assistance to the community.Saddleback says he welcomes everyone, adding 8 or more (children ages 8 to 12 will have to be accompanied by a parent).”An hour served in the store feeds a circle of relatives for a week!”
“In July, in July, we earned over a million pounds in food donations,” said Times Adam Ermisch, who runs the Saddleback Church pantry in Lake Forest.”It takes about a hundred volunteers to lead the ministry on site.they even have church license staff who volunteer.Many other volunteers who have been fired or face demanding situations from other countries are also your time to serve here.
Previously, Rana Muncy, Saddleback’s project manager for the church’s regional campuses, told the Los Angeles Times: “We’ve been distributing food in Orange County for 11 years, and when COVID-19 hit and about 158 pantry closed almost immediately.County, we said, ‘You know what, as a church, we want to grow?’
The church served in Los Angeles and San Diego counties.
Muncy added: “We’re about seven times more bulky than we normally would, so we’ve gone from 2,500 families a month to about 5,000 families per week.Since March 9, we have donated 3 million pounds of groceries to others in need, and we are helping those who say they have a need.They sold it from Los Angeles to San Diego.
Churches across the country have stepped up their charitable efforts. In Texas, Lakewood Church, led by Pastor Joel Osteen, has partnered with World Vision, Houston-area churches, and local nonprofit organizations to distribute more than 12,000 boxes of new food to the hungry., provided through farmers facing the monetary difficulties of the pandemic.
The component, which is part of the Fresh Food Box program, also began shortly after COVID closed.The program had provided more than 860,000 Americans through 70 centers through the end of July.Fresh Food Box offers beneficiaries new fruit, vegetables, meats and dairy products from farmers who would not otherwise be able to sell their products due to the economic effect of COVID-19.
The Christian Post