Volunteer workers fill orders according to family size and need. Commodity amounts are keyed to family size. A volunteer takes orders for foodstuffs and checks over the applications. Families are usually limited to one order per month.

October 28, 2011

The temperature was falling under an overcast sky today, and there was a hint of snow in the air.

But on Hurricane's Virginia Avenue a crowd was gathering outside the Christian Community Cupboard as a crowd had gathered every Tuesday and Friday for nearly thirty years.

"I've seen men come in with tears in their eyes," said longtime Cupboard volunteer and retired teacher Stan Summerfield. "They lost their job. Unemployment won't start for another two weeks. They're ashamed to come in and ask for help, but they have hungry children at home."

Passing through Teays Valley on I-64, one views a prosperous suburbia with the Waves-of-Fun water park, the Sleepy Hollow golf course and triple-garage homes. But a short distance from the interstate corridor one meets with scenes of grinding poverty.

Many families are impoverished by death of a principal wage earner. Others by illness or disability. Parents have lost jobs and sent the children to live with grandparents, themselves often living on limited means.

On a shoestring budget of $30,000, the Cupboard food pantry helps as many as 5,000 families each year.

"We help maybe a hundred families a week the first two weeks of a month," said Summerfield. "Toward the end of the month, the number averages about two hundred a week."

Applicants must show a picture ID, proof of residence in the area, and fall under certain guidelines of financial need depending on the size of the family.

Some people are referred to the pantry by the state Department of Health and Human Resources.

People can apply for assistance only once a month. "Some people may abuse the service," said Summerfield, "but it's not for us to judge. We're here to help."

How are so many helped on such a slender budget? "No one who works here is paid," said Summerfield. "We are all volunteers."

The Cupboard was established by the Teays Valley Ministerial Association. The operation is supported today by volunteers from twelve to fourteen of the major churches in the area.

Hurricane's First Baptist has the month of October. Then comes the turn of Forrest Burdette United Methodist (two weeks) followed by the Catholic Church of the Ascension (also two weeks). Teays Valley Presbyterian and the Presbyterian Church of the Covenant split the month of January.

More food for the Community Cupboard.

Summerfield says the Cupboard is fortunate to serve a "generous" community. "One time we were down to $64 in our treasury and four boxes of cereal on the shelf," he said. "One of the grocery stores in the area donated ten cases of Toasted Oats."

When food is purchased from private donations, local stores sell at cost.

And community groups do food drives for the Cupboard -- area churches, Conner Street and West Teays schools, the International Club at Hurricane High, the Scouts, the Postal Service -- to name a few.

Charleston's United Food Organization distributes tons of food to thirteen food pantries in the Kanawha Valley, including Hurricane's.

Then there are private donations. "One person comes in regularly and asks us what we need, and then he supplies it."

A new freezer in the building came from a private donation.

Among those who give to the food program are local civic clubs. Putnam Rotary is collecting food during November and December.

At the "For This We Give Thanks," the annual Thanksgiving luncheon sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and area civic clubs (on Tuesday, November 15th at Sleepy Hollow), attendees are once again encouraged to bring donations for the Cupboard.

What do they need? "Beans," said Summerfield. "All kinds of beans except green beans. Cereal. Anything non-perishable."

Can you use more hands? "Volunteer with a church group," Summerfield replied. "As for me, this is the greatest job I've ever had. And I don't get paid a penny."

"But he gets to talk a lot," another worker laughed as she pushed by with a loaded shopping cart.

Summerfield's wife, also a retired teacher, is a lay minister at Eleanor Presbyterian Church.