Mid-South Food Pantry explains local partnerships

Serves 18 counties in north mississippi.

Many food pantries around the area partner with the mid south food bank for their giveaway programs. wtva's chelsea brown spoke with one organization about why they started giving out food.

Because of the coronavirus, one organization that is already partnered with mid south food bank, partnered up with the sanctuary church.

You can see back behind me palets and palets of food they are getting ready to give away to families in need.

I spoke with organizers about why giving away this food is so important to the community.

Anita knowles- church member "it helps them financially because where they would have to buy food they can use on a bill."

Anita knowles is a member of the sanctuary church and she is delighted to have the church joined with mission unlimited, an organization that started in 2013.

At the beginging of the coronavirus pandemic the church and organization started working together to give out food.

Cathy pope- president ceo "those mobile pantries are an excellent way to serve the community during the pandemic."

Cathy pope told me mid south food bank has many new organizations its working with during the pandemic.

She says much of the food they distribute is fruits and vegtables.

"shelf stable, canned food, a lot of produce.

About 80% of what we distribute is produce."

You can find a mid south food pantry in your location on their website.

"once the covid hit things just became more of a dire need for food and work."

"with the layoffs and shutdowns, we have seen a lot of people that have never been in a food line before" janet ramirez with mission unlimited says they serve close to 1000 families janet ramirez- mission unlimited "1000 or more because some people come with 4 families in the car so its hard to tell but its around 1000 families."

Pope told me before the coronavirus pandemic the mid south food bank would serve about 550 thousand pounds of food in mississippi eash month..

"in june we did 1.3 million pounds in july we did 2.7million pounds" volunteers will be here at the sanctuary church until 8oclock tonight giving away food.

In tupelo, chelsea brown, wtva 9 news google is in big