The Foundation is proud of its grant program supporting worthy organizations across Arkansas. Our new column, Out and About with Amy, highlights grant recipients and the great work they are doing in their community.
Last month, I had the pleasure of visiting Goshen United Methodist Church, a recipient of $25,000 and $500 grants in support of the Goshen UMC Food Pantry. With a population of a little over 2,100, Goshen is a lovely town just northeast of Fayetteville. This town, particularly its Methodist Church, holds a special place in my heart.
Back in the day, Goshen UMC and Trinity UMC Fayetteville (my home church growing up) shared a pastor, and our choir led worship at Goshen. I have fond memories of singing there and was thrilled when Neil Carey, manager of the food pantry at Goshen, invited me to see their operation in action. And, they have quite the operation! Since the establishment of the Food Pantry in December 2019, the amount of food they distribute has increased significantly. The comparison between February 2021 and February 2022 is quite astonishing. The number of households served more than doubled, and the number of individuals who received food increased by 142%!
"We have experienced great growth due to the grant provided by The Methodist Foundation for Arkansas," Carey said. In addition to receiving items from the NW Arkansas Food Bank, their local Walmart Neighborhood Market, and the Fayetteville Sam's Club, Goshen UMC is also a USDA distribution pantry for eastern Washington and Madison counties. Volunteers distribute food boxes on Tuesdays, and on the day that I was there, they allocated 171 boxes to 151 families, feeding 432 people! They have a drive-through operation where people pull up, receive their food, and have the opportunity to select other specialty items as available, including magazines, pet food, K-cups, and cakes when I was there.
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I witnessed a family drive up in a van with the mom holding her toddler in her lap. Her eyes lit up when she saw blue frosted cupcakes available. The toddler clapped wildly when the volunteer passed those cupcakes through the van window. These cupcakes were definitely a special treat for this young family.
Under Neil's leadership, numerous volunteers, and the support of Rev. Rex Dickey, the Goshen UMC food pantry continues to impact their small community by distributing over 800,000 pounds of food each year. The grant of $25,000 will go toward the $94,000 food budget projected for July 2022 through June 2023.
- Amy Anderson
