| One of the most rewarding activities that any church | | | | relief to communities throughout the United |
| or other group can undertake is a food ministry. As | | | | States.Non-profit and non-denominational, Angel Food |
| someone who has helped start food ministries | | | | Ministries was started in February, 1994, feeding 34 |
| before, I must warn you that it is also a tremendous | | | | families that first month. Since then it has expanded |
| amount of work. Don't jump into it on a whim or | | | | to more than 30 states, feeding well over 100,000 |
| without doing sufficient planning.A food ministry can | | | | families in a typical month.Angel Food Ministries works |
| take one of several forms. A soup kitchen is the | | | | through local churches and other community |
| most familiar to many people. Increasingly, though, | | | | organizations, which are designated as "host sites." |
| food ministries are being built around the idea of | | | | Host sites purchase units, or boxes, of groceries |
| providing groceries to individuals and families in the | | | | through the organization for distribution to needing |
| community.Whatever type of food ministry you | | | | households. The food is restaurant-grade meats, |
| decide to start, it is crucial that you have the full | | | | frozen vegetables, dairy products, etc. It is all |
| backing and encouragement of your church or | | | | first-quality, name-brand food--never "seconds" or |
| group's governing board. A significant number of | | | | "day old" type goods.There's information on how to |
| members of the group must be honestly committed | | | | become an Angel Food Ministries host site at along |
| to putting in the time and energy to keep it going on | | | | with complete details of how the program |
| a long-term basis.A relatively new concept is that of | | | | works.Whether you start your own food ministry |
| outsourcing food ministry organizing to an outside | | | | from scratch, or affiliate with an organization such as |
| group that is experienced with sourcing groceries, | | | | Angel Food Ministries, I know that you will feel richly |
| obtaining them at good prices, and helping to set up | | | | blessed. Get everyone on board, do your planning, |
| a distribution system. This does not take away from | | | | and--assuming the commitment is there--you will |
| local church members the responsibility for making | | | | succeed.Sarah Sandori is the food and entertaining |
| the activity a success. What it does do is relieve you | | | | columnist for the Solid Gold Info Writers Consortium. |
| from having to reinvent the wheel.My favorite group | | | | Have you ever wanted to be able to exactly |
| along this line is Angel Food Ministries, based in | | | | duplicate a favorite dish from a favorite restaurant? |
| Monroe, Georgia, and dedicated to providing grocery | | | | |