Montverde United Methodist Church’s Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry, also known as the Montverde Food Pantry, received $796 in grant funding from the Community Foundation of South Lake County, under a Food Providers Grant awarded in December 2017. These Food Providers Grants were made available to multiple local nonprofit agencies by CFSLC after Hurricane Irma in September 2017.
Julie Bennett, food pantry Executive Director, said, “More than 75% of the food to be distributed from the pantry between Tuesday, February 27, and Monday, March 26, was obtained with funding from this grant. A total of 11,820 pounds was procured through Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida for this period, at a cost of $1,003.42, or less than nine cents per pound, and included more than 3,500 pounds of frozen meat and fish.”
Bennett said the primary source of pantry products is Second Harvest, and that, “Without grants from our partners like the Community Foundation of South Lake County, our capacity to serve would be greatly diminished. It is our goal to end food need in our community, so our partnership with CFSLC is critically important—they have been our largest funding source since we opened in September 2009.”
The pantry offers a variety of food products and baked goods to clients at no charge. Items are distributed first come/first served, and quantities may be limited. Clients are encouraged to bring shopping bags. Donations of food, pet food, and personal care products are always welcome and greatly appreciated.
Montverde United Methodist Church, known as “the little church with the big heart,” is located at 17015 Porter Avenue, Montverde 34756. Food Pantry hours are Mondays 9 am to 11 am and Fridays 7 am to 4 pm. All with need are welcome. For information, call 407-469-3626 or visit https://www.montverdeumc.org.
The Montverde Food Pantry’s original space was a 5-foot by 6-foot broom closet but has grown into a 16-foot by 16-foot room. “We started,” Mrs. Bennett recounts, “by serving a single family of four whose grocery budget was absorbed by prescription costs. When we began, non-perishable canned and dry goods were the mainstay. Today,” Bennett notes, “the Pantry serves an average of 900 individuals each month.” She added that MUMC’s Food Pantry distributed more than 50 tons of food through its programs in 2017.
More than 3,000 families have received assistance from MUMC’s Food Pantry since its opening, which demonstrates why Montverde United Methodist Church is known as “the little church with the big heart.” Food Pantry hours are Mondays 9 am to 11 am and Fridays 7 am to 4 pm. All with need are welcome. The Food Pantry is in Room 2 of the church, which is located at 17015 Porter Avenue, Montverde, 34756.
