Story and photos by TRISH DAY
On Wednesdays, Launa Ali and her volunteer army are very busy. They are preparing for their weekly food distribution. They gather huge crates of fresh meat from freezers, produce from refrigerators, heavy pallets of canned goods, fresh breads and bakery items; and put them outside under a tent – then they begin the process of preparing boxes of food for those in need.
Each volunteer has an assigned task, and it runs like a well-oiled machine, until each box is filled with a week’s worth of groceries for each family.
Cars begin lining the clay road around 2:15 p.m., and at 2:30 p.m., the signal is given to let the cars begin to pull in to receive their food.
“Anyone in Walton County can come,” said Launa. “We don’t ask questions. We don’t ask for ID. We just want to make sure no one goes hungry.”
She makes sure there’s fresh meat in each box, fresh salad fixings, fresh loaves of bread. The food looked plentiful, and uniformly fresh. There were even cakes and pies, fresh muffins and bakery items.
“We do this every week,” said Launa. “We feed about 1,000 people a month.”
For Launa and husband Enos, this is a ministry of love. In coordination with Breaking Thru Ministry and Feeding America, they receive truckloads of food for distribution. They also rely on donations to keep the pantry stocked, and it costs about $1,500 a month to stay open, as they pay for the cost of electricity to keep the refrigerators and freezers going, as well as some of the food. “We really need help right now, so we can continue to do this for the community.”
Specific guidelines are in place to ensure that the distribution is quick and efficient. They ask that people bring their own empty boxes, wear a mask, and arrive on time.
Many families struggle with the cost of living. Often there is illness or job loss – but even hard working families struggle to afford healthy food. This ministry is there for all those who find themselves in need. They will be greeted with a smile, and asked to pop open the trunk of their car. A healthy portion of food will be deposited in the car, and drivers can be on their way. No questions asked.
On the other hand, those who have been blessed with good fortune this year, could donate to this very worthy cause, to ensure that this ministry continues for a long time to come.
Donations can be made to:
www.PayPal.me/breakingthruministry
Follow Breaking Thru Ministry, Inc. on Facebook for announcements and updates.
Breaking Thru Ministry is located at 994 Osage Drive, DeFuniak Springs. Food distribution takes place on Wednesdays between 2:30 – 4 p.m. Masks are required.
