Rural Missouri - July 2021 - 45

Previous page: Neighbors join members
of the Center Grove Baptist Church in
Moody to host the rural monthly food drive
to help those who sometimes fi nd themselves
in need of a helping hand. Above: Tonie Lott,
organizer for the monthly event, visits with
those waiting in line to pick up groceries. The
pantry helps feed nearly 1,000 people in a 50mile
radius of the tiny town. Right: When
Tonie's daughter, Jaydin, is home from school,
the 9-year-old helps distribute boxes for the
mobile food pantry.
photo courtesy Tonie Lott
turned this into our storage area, "
Tonie says, pointing to the 20-by20-foot
metal building. " We aren't a
large congregation, but we
have a heart to serve our
neighbors. "
Once the truck is
unloaded, volunteers
continue to arrive and sort
food until the designated
drive-thru time of 2 p.m. Then,
like a well-oiled machine, each
person loads the food into
vehicles as they drive by the building.
During April's food giveaway, a car
pulls up to the sign-in point and the
driver turns off the engine. The couple
has driven 30 miles one way to sit for
two hours before the event begins to
ensure they can receive much-needed
food for their family.
" This means so much to us. I'm
not sure what we'd do without their
help, " says the woman.
By 1:30 p.m., 42 vehicles were
lined up to receive food.
Moody
Casey Gunn, a representative for
Ozarks Food Harvest, comes down
from the Springfi eld offi ce for Moody's
food pantry each month. She says
Moody is one of the smallest
towns in the region to offer a
food pantry.
" You can see there's
defi nitely a need and they
reach the people who need
it most, " she says.
The Ozarks Food
Harvest website shares
for every $1 donated to
for every $1 donated to
them, the organization is able to
provide four meals to those without
food. Located in Springfi eld, the
group provides food to 270 hungerrelief
efforts across 28 counties in the
Ozarks.
When the one-day food pantry is
done, Tonie says the group doesn't
stop helping folks in need. They
are currently creating personal
hygiene kits to offer upon request,
and through Ozarks Food Harvest,
the volunteers also distribute Senior
Boxes early in the month to those
60 years and older who meet federal
income guidelines. Currently they
distribute 131 of those food boxes to
qualifying seniors in the area. The
coordinator adds they have nearly as
many names waiting to be added to
that list.
Until then, the community keeps
working together to help their
neighbors in need.
" God took a few loaves and fi shes
and fed the masses, " says Tonie.
" We're glad to be able to get food into
the hands of those who're hungry. We
don't want anyone going without food
if we can possibly help them. "
For more about the mobile food
pantry, follow Center Grove Baptist
Church on Facebook or send an
email to moodycentergrovebaptist@
gmail.com. For information about
Ozarks Food Harvest, go to www.
ozarksfoodharvest.org.
JULY 2021 | RURALMISSOURI.COOP 45
http://www.ozarksfoodharvest.org http://www.ozarksfoodharvest.org http://www.RURALMISSOURI.COOP
Rural Missouri - July 2021

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